The links between parental smoking and childhood obesity: data of the longitudinal study of Australian children

Childhood obesity is one of the most concerning public health issues globally and its implications in mortality and morbidity in adulthood are increasingly important. This study uses a unique dataset of Australian children aged 4-16 to examine the impact of parental smoking on childhood obesity. It confirms a significant link between parental smoking (stronger for mothers) and higher obesity risk in children, regardless of income, age, family size, or birth order. Importantly, we explore whether heightened preference for unhealthy foods can mediate the effect of parental smoking. Our findings suggest that increased consumption of unhealthy foods among children can be associated with parental smoking.

Identifying the Key Elements of Psychologically Safe Workplaces in Healthcare Settings

BACKGROUND

Psychological safety is a key concern in the workplace as organisations continue to see increases in psychological injuries that have significant ramifications on individuals and workplaces. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this issue in healthcare workforces facing extraordinary pressures. This preliminary study aims to enhance our understanding of the factors that healthcare workers value in relation to psychological safety in their respective healthcare settings.

METHODS

To achieve the research objective, qualitative self-reflection examples were conducted with 12 participants from various health professional backgrounds across public, private, and aged-care settings. The data obtained were thematically analysed using NVivo software (V 12), enabling the identification of key elements associated with psychologically safe workplaces.

RESULTS

The results revealed several significant elements that contribute to psychologically safe workplaces in healthcare settings. These elements include effective communication, organisational culture, leadership practices, performance feedback mechanisms, respect among colleagues, staff development opportunities, teamwork, and trust. The findings underscore the critical importance of these foundational elements in fostering psychological safety within healthcare.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by specifically identifying the key elements that healthcare workers value in terms of psychological safety. By exploring a wide range of healthcare professionals' perspectives, this research offers valuable insights into the unique challenges faced by healthcare workforces and the necessary conditions for fostering psychological safety. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the lessons they provide for healthcare employers, highlighting the potential for improving workplace wellbeing and performance.

Moving minds: Mental health and wellbeing benefits of a 50-day workplace physical activity program

The aim of this study was to assess changes in mental health and wellbeing measures across a 50-day physical activity workplace program. The secondary aims assessed the relationship between demographic and pre-program physical activity self-reported variables, mental health, wellbeing and program engagement measures. The study utilized a naturalistic longitudinal design with a study population of 2903 people. Participants were engaged in the 10,000 step daily physical activity program for 50-days and measures of engagement were tracked. 1320 participants provided full pre/post-program data across a range of standardized mental health and wellbeing measures alongside demographic and program engagement measures. For individuals providing pre and post program data there was a significant reduction in anxiety (18.2%, p = .008), stress (13.0%, p = .014) and sleep related impairment (6.9%, p < .001) alongside a significant improvement in overall wellbeing (6.7%, p = .001). The data further showed no significant mental health differences were identified between individuals who recorded below versus equal to or above 10,000 steps. Regression analyses indicated numerous group and personal variables impacted mental health, wellbeing and program engagement. The study highlights improvements in a range of mental health and wellbeing scores occurred over the 50-day activity program for people who complete the program. Finally, the study identified a range of protective and risk factors for mental health benefits of these programs and level of engagement. Whilst there were similarities in the pre-program mental health and wellbeing scores of those who completed and those lost to follow-up, further research is required to better characterize and understand this group.

Better off alone? Comparing the substance use, mental health and trauma risks of youth alcohol and other drug service users either living in out of home care, living with parents or experiencing homelessness

INTRODUCTION

All young people seeking assistance from youth alcohol and other drug services require support to help them minimise the harms from their substance use and continue to develop healthy and meaningful lives. A particular focus on young people in residential out of home care (OoHC) highlights the increased risks of substance use, mental health issues and continued vulnerabilities in this group. While in the past, research contrasted this group with young people living at home, this study contrasted young people in OoHC with homeless youths alongside those living with parents.

METHODS

The research contrasted these three groups of young people on substance use profiles, mental health and wellbeing and vulnerability to abuse (historic and current) in the Youth Needs Census conducted in Victoria and Queensland over 2013-2017.

RESULTS

The results demonstrate a clear risk of increased casual and daily methamphetamine use in the homeless youth group and occasional heroin use in the OoHC group. Mental health measures for both the OoHC and homeless youths were worse than the young people living at home. Trauma was similarly higher in these groups, with both historical and ongoing risks of violent crime for homeless youths.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The results demonstrate the similar and serious health and wellbeing risks facing both youths in residential OoHC and homeless youths. These results are concerning as one of these groups is ostensibly in the care of the community and government, while the other group is experiencing unstable accommodation and associated physical risks.

Self-care agency and self-care practice in youth workers reduces burnout risk and improves compassion satisfaction

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS

Youth work specialises in helping vulnerable young people face life challenges during critical stages of their development. It is a complex and demanding role and factors influencing occupational stress in youth workers are rarely investigated. This study examined whether youth alcohol and other drug workers with greater compassion satisfaction, self-care practice and self-care agency experienced different rates of occupational stress including burnout and secondary traumatic stress.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A convenience sample of 258 Australian youth alcohol and other drug workers completed an online questionnaire battery. A four-stage data analysis was conducted utilising multivariate analysis of variance, bivariate correlations, linear multiple regression models and mediation modelling.

RESULTS

Burnout and secondary traumatic stress exhibited moderate negative correlations with compassion satisfaction, self-care practice and the different forms of self-care agency. Further, a decrease in lacking power for self-care, a form of self-care agency, was the strongest contributor to both burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Support was found for a mediation pathway whereby self-care agency led to greater self-care practice, which in turn increased compassion satisfaction, lowering burnout and secondary traumatic stress.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that it would be beneficial for self-care agency to be a key focus of youth worker training and professional development programs.

Impact of irritability: a 2-year observational study of outpatients with bipolar I or schizoaffective disorder

OBJECTIVES

Many people experience irritability when manic, hypomanic, or depressed, yet its impact on illness severity and quality of life in bipolar and schizoaffective disorders is poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the relationship between irritability and symptom burden, functioning, quality of life, social support, suicidality, and overall illness severity in a naturalistic cohort of people with bipolar I or schizoaffective disorder.

METHODS

We used data from 239 adult outpatients with bipolar I or schizoaffective disorder in the Bipolar Comprehensive Outcomes Study (BCOS) - a non-interventional observational study with a 2-year follow-up period. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of participants with and without irritability were compared. A mixed-model repeated measures analysis was conducted to examine the longitudinal effect of irritability on clinical and quality-of-life variables over follow-up using significant baseline variables.

RESULTS

At baseline, 54% of participants were irritable. Baseline irritability was associated with illness severity, mania, depression, psychotic symptoms, suicidality, poor functioning, and quality of life, but not diagnosis (schizoaffective/bipolar disorder). Participants with irritability were less likely to have a partner and perceived less adequate social support. On average, over follow-up, those with irritability reported more symptoms, functional impairment, and suicidality. Furthermore, the effects of irritability could not be fully explained by illness severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Irritability was associated with more negative symptomatic, functional, and quality-of-life outcomes and suicidality. The identification, monitoring, and targeted treatment of irritability may be worth considering, to enhance health and wellbeing outcomes for adults with bipolar and schizoaffective disorders.

Do commencing nursing and paramedicine students differ in interprofessional learning and practice attitudes: evaluating course, socio-demographic and individual personality effects

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional education (IPE) requires health students to learn with, from and about each other in order to develop a modern workforce with client-centred care at its core. Despite the client centred focus of IPE, training programs often utilize standard approaches across student cohorts without consideration of discipline, sociodemographic and personality variability that attract students to different health disciplines. Knowing the students who engage in IPE to tailor training may prove as beneficial as knowing the client to delivered individualized client centred care in interprofessional practice (IPP). This research investigates whether students commencing undergraduate nursing and paramedicine degrees ener training with existing demographic and personality differences and, if these are associated with different attitudes towards health care teams and interprofessional education.

METHOD

This online study recruited 160 nursing and 50 paramedicine students in their first week of their undergraduate course. Students completed questionnaires regarding their background, personality (General Perceived Self Esteem Scale, International Mini Markers) and the attitudes towards health care teams scale (ATHCTS) and interprofessional education perception scale (IEPS).

RESULTS

Results show that commencing nursing and paramedicine students are demographically different on education, gender, speaking a language other than English at home (LOTE) and their own experience with healthcare. The results further demonstrate that LOTE, discipline being studied and personality factors play a role in perceptions regarding interprofessional training whilst discipline being studied impacted on attitudes towards health care teams in the workforce.

CONCLUSION

These results highlight a number of existing personal and psychological differences between individuals who choose to train in these selected professions. This suggests a need for tertiary education IPE programs to move towards tailoring their education to value this student diversity in the same client centred manner that students are asked to develop clinically.

The impact of past direct-personal traumatic events on 12-month outcome in first episode psychotic mania: trauma and early psychotic mania

OBJECTIVE

Past traumatic events have been associated with poorer clinical outcomes in people with bipolar disorder. However, the impact of these events in the early stages of the illness remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether prior traumatic events were related to poorer outcomes 12 months following a first episode of psychotic mania.

METHODS

Traumatic events were retrospectively evaluated from patient files in a sample of 65 participants who had experienced first episode psychotic mania. Participants were aged between 15 and 28 years and were treated at a specialised early psychosis service. Clinical outcomes were measured by a variety of symptomatic and functioning scales at the 12-month time-point.

RESULTS

Direct-personal traumatic experiences prior to the onset of psychotic mania were reported by 48% of the sample. Participants with past direct-personal trauma had significantly higher symptoms of mania (p=0.02), depression (p=0.03) and psychopathology (p=0.01) 12 months following their first episode compared to participants without past direct-personal trauma, with medium to large effects observed. After adjusting for baseline scores, differences in global functioning (as measured by the Global Assessment of Functioning scale) were non-significant (p=0.05); however, participants with past direct-personal trauma had significantly poorer social and occupational functioning (p=0.04) at the 12-month assessment with medium effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Past direct-personal trauma may predict poorer symptomatic and functional outcomes after first episode psychotic mania. Limitations include that the findings represent individuals treated at a specialist early intervention centre for youth and the retrospective assessment of traumatic events may have been underestimated.

Enhancing medication adherence in patients with bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVES

Medication adherence contributes to the efficacy-effectiveness gap of treatment in patients with bipolar disorder. This paper aims to examine the challenges involved in improving medication adherence in bipolar disorder, and to extract some suggestions for future directions from the core psychosocial studies that have targeted adherence as a primary or secondary outcome.

METHODS

A search was conducted for articles that focused on medication adherence in bipolar disorder, with emphasis on publications from 1996 to 2008 using Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL PLUS, and PsychINFO. The following key words were used: adherence, compliance, alliance, adherence assessment, adherence measurement, risk factors, psychosocial interventions, and psycho-education.

RESULTS

There are a number of challenges to understanding non-adherence including the difficulty in defining and measuring it and the various risk factors that need to be considered when aiming to enhance adherence. Nevertheless, the importance of addressing adherence is evidenced by the connection between adherence problems and poor outcome. Despite these challenges, a number of small psychosocial studies targeting adherence as a primary outcome point to the potential usefulness of psycho-education aimed at improving knowledge, attitudes, and adherence behavior, but more large scale randomized controlled trials are needed in this area. Evidence of improved outcomes from larger randomized controlled trials of psychosocial interventions that target medication adherence as a secondary outcome suggests that tackling other factors besides medication adherence may also be an advantage. While some of these larger studies demonstrate an improvement in medication adherence, the translation of these interventions into real life settings may not always be practical. A person centered approach that considers risk factors for non-adherence and barriers to other health behaviors may assist with the development of more targeted briefer interventions. Integral to improving medication adherence is the delivery of psycho-education, and attention needs to be paid to the implementation, and timing of psycho-education. Progress in the understanding of how medicines work may add to the credibility of psycho-education in the future.

CONCLUSIONS

Enhancement of treatment adherence in bipolar patients is a necessary and promising management component as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy. The current literature on psychosocial interventions that target medication adherence in bipolar disorder points to the possibility of refining the concept of non-adherence and adapting psycho-education to the needs of certain subgroups of people with bipolar disorder. Large scale randomized controlled trials of briefer or more condensed interventions are needed that can inform clinical practice.

Abnormal dose-response melatonin suppression by light in bipolar type I patients compared with healthy adult subjects

OBJECTIVE

Among potential endophenotypes proposed for bipolar affective disorder focusing on circadian abnormalities associated with the illness has particularly high face validity. Melatonin sensitivity to light is one circadian endophenotype proposed as useful in bipolar disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate melatonin sensitivity to light over a range of light intensities in order to compare and contrast responses in bipolar I patients with those of healthy adult volunteers.

METHODS

The study included seven patients (4 females, 3 males) with bipolar I disorder and 34 control participants (22 females, 12 males) with no personal or family history of affective illness. Melatonin sensitivity to light was determined in all patients and participants across a range of light intensities (0, 200, 500 and 1000 lux).

RESULTS

The results indicated that patients showed melatonin super-sensitivity to light in comparison with controls, a response that was consistent across the entire light intensity range investigated.

CONCLUSION

The study provides further evidence for a super sensitive response in bipolar I patients and suggests that its potential usefulness as an endophenotypic marker of the illness is deserving of further research.

Differences between subjective and objective assessments of the utility of Electroconvulsive therapy in patients with bipolar and unipolar depression

While ECT is widely used for the management of severe and refractory depression, its utility in bipolar disorder is not extensively studied. The aim of this study was to examine the reported effectiveness of ECT in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression as reported by psychiatrists, nurses and patients (i.e. using objective and subjective measures). The records of 787 consecutive inpatient admissions to the Geelong Clinic, a private psychiatric centre based outside Melbourne, Victoria were reviewed in this file audit. Routine assessment measures were completed at admission and discharge, and included patient rated measures (Medical Outcomes Short Form SF-14 and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale, DASS), nurse rated measures, (The Health of the Nation Outcome Scale, HoNOS) and a psychiatrist rated measure, the Clinical Global impression scale (CGI). In contrast to individuals with unipolar depression, where improvement was seen on all measures, in bipolar disorder, while improvement in clinician rated measures was seen (CGI, HoNOS), there was an absence of improvement in subjective measures of mood (DASS, SF14). This study suggests that in bipolar disorder, there is a poorer subjective response to ECT than in unipolar disorder.

The proximal prodrome to first episode mania--a new target for early intervention

OBJECTIVE

Affective psychoses and bipolar disorders have been neglected in the development of early intervention strategies. This paper aims to gather current knowledge on the early phase of bipolar disorders in order to define new targets for early intervention.

METHODS

Literature review based on the main computerized databases (MEDLINE, PUBMED and PSYCHLIT) and hand search of relevant literature.

RESULTS

Based on current knowledge, it is likely that an approach aiming at the identification of impending first-episode mania is the most realistic and manageable strategy to promote earlier treatment. During the period preceding the onset of the first manic episode, patients go through a prodromal phase marked by the presence of mood fluctuation, sleep disturbance, and other symptoms such as irritability, anger, or functional impairment. Additionally, various risk factors and markers of vulnerability to bipolar disorders have been identified.

CONCLUSIONS

In the few months preceding first-episode mania, patients go through a prodrome phase (proximal prodrome) that could become an important target for early intervention. However, considering the low specificity of the symptoms observed during this phase, criteria defining high-risk profiles to first-episode mania should also include certain risk factors or markers of vulnerability. While more research is needed in high-risk groups (e.g., bipolar offspring), retrospective studies conducted in first-episode mania cohorts could provide valuable information about this critical phase of the illness.

An investigation of the effect of immediate and extended release venlafaxine on nocturnal melatonin and cortisol release in healthy adult volunteers

The secretion of the hormone melatonin is particularly robust to the effect of pharmacological agents. Medications may alter melatonin levels through either altering adrenergic activity or affecting liver enzymes involved in melatonin metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of venlafaxine, a third generation antidepressant with known adrenergic properties on melatonin secretion. A further aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between plasma and salivary measures on this medication. Eight healthy adult participants (four males, four females) took part in this double blind placebo controlled randomised trial. Participants were tested on 3 nights after taking venlafaxine XR (75 mg), venlafaxine IR (75 mg) or placebo. Participants were placed in a darkened room between 1900 and 0300 h and regular temperature readings, blood and saliva samples were drawn to assess melatonin and cortisol secretion in each condition. There was no significant effect of venlafaxine IR or XR on melatonin concentrations in plasma or saliva and no effects on other circadian parameters including cortisol and temperature. It was notable that the correlation between plasma and salivary melatonin levels became poor after drug treatment. These results indicate that at low doses the mixed serotonergic and noradrenergic drug venlafaxine has no effect on nocturnal melatonin concentrations.

The potential utility of a staging model as a course specifier: a bipolar disorder perspective

Staging models are widely used in clinical medicine, and offer an insight into the progressive nature of many disorders. In general, the earlier stages of illness may be associated with a better prognosis and a higher treatment response. Once chronicity is reached, more complex and invasive treatments may be required, and the utility of treatments may decline. There is evidence that treatment response is greatest in the early phases of the disorder. There is also a progressive social and psychological burden of ongoing illness. This is paralleled by the twin notions of neuroprotection, which is supported by increasing evidence that structural changes in the disorder may be progressive and reversible with algorithm appropriate treatment, and that of early intervention, which posits that the optimal window for intervention is early in the illness course. A staging model compliments existing and proposed classifications of bipolar disorder, adding a temporal dimension to a cross sectional view. It may inform treatment choice and prognosis, and could have utility as a course specifier.

The heritability of melatonin secretion and sensitivity to bright nocturnal light in twins

The super-sensitivity of the neurohormone melatonin to light in patients with bipolar disorder provides evidence of the circadian nature of the disorder. This response has been proposed as an endophenotype for identifying people at risk of the disorder and guiding investigations of molecular genetic targets. However, before this response is used as an endophenotypic marker, the heritable nature of melatonin sensitivity in the normal population must be established. The aim of this study was to investigate the heritability of nocturnal melatonin secretion and sensitivity to light in monozygotic and dizygotic twins with no psychiatric history. This study investigated overall melatonin levels (between 2000 and 2400 h) and suppression by 500 lx of light (between 2400 and 0100 h) in 20 pairs of twins (nine monozygotic, 11 dizygotic). The results indicate that melatonin secretion is highly heritable with secretion in one twin being a significant predictor of secretion in their twin in both monozygotic and dizygotic pairs. In relation to light sensitivity, genetic loading appears to play a significant role with the greatest concordance between monozygotic twins, followed by dizygotic twins and finally low concordance in unrelated individuals. This provides additional support for the usefulness of melatonin sensitivity to light as a potential endophenotypic marker of bipolar affective disorder.

Seasonal influences on first-episode admission in affective and non-affective psychosis

BACKGROUND

Since bipolar affective disorder has been recorded, clinicians treating patients with this disorder have noted the cyclic nature of episodes, particularly an increase in mania in the spring and summer months and depression during winter.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate seasonality in symptom onset and service admissions over a period of 10 years in a group of patients (n= 359) with first-episode (FE) mania (n= 133), FE schizoaffective disorder (n= 49) and FE schizophrenia (n= 177).

METHOD

Patients were recruited if they were between 15 and 28 years of age and if they resided in the geographical mental health service catchment area. The number of patients experiencing symptom onset and service admission over each month and season was recorded.

RESULTS

In terms of seasonality of time of service admission, the results indicate a high overall seasonality (particularly in men), which was observed in both the schizoaffective and the bipolar groups. In terms of seasonality of symptom onset, the results indicate that seasonality remains in the male bipolar group, but other groups have no seasonal trend.

CONCLUSIONS

This provides further evidence that systems mediating the entrainment of biological rhythms to the environment may be more pronounced in BPAD than in schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia. These results may help facilitate the preparedness of mental heath services for patients at different times of the year.

Effect of sodium valproate on nocturnal melatonin sensitivity to light in healthy volunteers

Sensitivity of the pineal hormone melatonin to bright light at night has been proposed as a putative marker of bipolar affective disorder. Patients with bipolar disorder have a super-sensitive melatonin response to light. No studies have investigated whether super-sensitivity is due to agents used to treat the illness or is associated with the disorder per se. We investigated the effect of valproate on this phenomenon. Melatonin sensitivity to light was determined on two nights in 12 healthy volunteers (5M, 7F). Between testing nights participants received 200 mg of valproate b.d. for 5 days. Valproate significantly decreased the sensitivity of melatonin to light. On the other hand, valproate had no effect on overall melatonin secretion or dim light melatonin onset. The ability of valproate to decrease the sensitivity of melatonin to light may relate to its therapeutic effect in bipolar disorder--an ability to lengthen circadian period similar to that of lithium.

Low doses of lithium carbonate reduce melatonin light sensitivity in healthy volunteers

Sensitivity of the pineal hormone melatonin to bright light at night has been posited as a putative marker of affective disorders. Research demonstrates melatonin supersensitivity to light in bipolar disorder, however the role that lithium carbonate plays in this response is unclear. This study assessed the effect of lithium on nocturnal melatonin secretion and sensitivity to light in healthy adults. Ten participants, tested on two nights, had blood samples drawn between 20:00 and 02:30 hours. On testing nights participants were exposed to 200 lux of light between 24:00 and 01:00 hours. Participants took 250 mg of lithium daily for 5 d between testing nights. The results indicated that lithium had a significant effect on sensitivity to light but not on overall melatonin synthesis. This finding has implications on the true magnitude of the melatonin light response in people with bipolar disorder and may elucidate possible mechanisms of action of lithium.

Attenuation of benzodiazepine withdrawal anxiety in the rat by serotonin antagonists

Administration of benzodiazepines is known to be associated with tolerance and a withdrawal syndrome on abrupt cessation. The aetiology of the withdrawal syndrome is not known but a role for the serotonin (5HT) system is suspected. The aim of the current study was to investigate the usefulness of 5-HT2 antagonists in the treatment of benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome in the rat. Male Wistar rats were treated with either diazepam (4 mg/kg) or vehicle for 14 days, then abruptly withdrawn for 24h. Animals were tested in the social interaction paradigm and elevated plus maze. Some diazepam-withdrawn rats were pre-treated with 5HT2 antagonists 60 min before behavioural testing. Acute withdrawal from benzodiazepines significantly reduced social interaction between pairs compared to vehicle or diazepam-treated animals. Similarly, for the elevated plus maze withdrawn animals made fewer entries and spent less time on the open arms than did vehicle or diazepam-treated animals. Single doses of 5-HT2 antagonists, mianserin (5mg/kg) and ritanserin (1mg/kg), effectively ameliorated withdrawal anxiety in the rat, returning behavioural function in the social interaction test and elevated plus maze to levels comparable to vehicle-treated animals.

An investigation of the effect of tacrine and physostigmine on spatial working memory deficits in the olfactory bulbectomised rat

The olfactory bulbectomised (OB) rat is being increasingly used as a model of impaired learning and mnemonic functioning. In this study the model has been utilised to determine the effect of the acetylcholinesterase inhibiting compounds tacrine and physostigmine on spatial working memory deficits associated with the OB rat. One-hundred and twenty male rats were randomly allocated to OB or sham operated groups and received chronic i.p. treatment with either saline, physostigmine (0.1 mg/kg) or tacrine (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg). Two weeks after beginning treatment animals were tested on the Morris water maze and open field test. The results indicated that the OB surgery was associated with spatial working memory disturbances that were effectively attenuated with both doses of tacrine, but not physostigmine. Increased hyperactivity and defecation was observed in OB animals in the Open-field test, however, these changes were not ameliorated by either drug treatment. The ability for tacrine but not physostigmine to attenuate OB cognitive deficits may be associated with the different half-life of these compounds. This study provides further support for the use of the OB rat as a drug discovery model for the investigation of novel therapeutic compounds that target the cholinergic system.

Comparative cognitive and psychomotor effects of single doses of Valeriana officianalis and triazolam in healthy volunteers

OBJECTIVES

To assess the cognitive and psychomotor effects of single oral doses of valerian in healthy volunteers in comparison with a placebo and the hypnotic agent triazolam.

METHODS

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, four-way crossover study nine healthy subjects (5 males, 4 females) received in random order valerian 500 mg, valerian 1000 mg, triazolam 0.25 mg and placebo. Doses were separated by a wash-out period of at least 1 week. Subjects were tested before each dose and at 2, 4 and 8 h after the dose of each compound using the critical flicker fusion (CFF), choice reaction time (CRT), digit symbol substitution test (DSST), symbol search test (SST), digit span test (DST) and visual analogue scales of mood.

RESULTS

Repeated measures ANOVA was used to examine the changes in performance on tests over time and significant effects were further analysed using simple main effects analysis with least significant difference corrections. Statistically significant differences were only noted for the cognitive tests: SST (F(3, 8)=3.182, p<0.05) and DSST (F(3, 8)=9.688, p<0.005). In both cases the differences between groups were due to the effects of triazolam.

CONCLUSION

These data confirm that at recommended therapeutic doses, triazolam has detrimental effects on cognitive processes in healthy volunteers as found in previous studies. Valerian was without effect on either cognitive or psychomotor performance in healthy volunteers at the doses used in this study. Should the hypnotic activity of valerian be confirmed in randomized double-blind trials it may be a less troublesome alternative to benzodiazepines in the treatment of insomnia.