@article{ref1,
title="The effects of diazepam on human self-aggressive behavior",
journal="Psychopharmacology",
year="2005",
author="Berman, Mitchell E. and Jones, Gabriele D. and McCloskey, Michael S.",
volume="178",
number="1",
pages="100-106",
abstract="RATIONALE: Diazepam, a benzodiazepine with a relatively rapid onset of clinical effects, has been associated with suicide and other self-aggressive acts. The evidence for this association, however, comes exclusively from retrospective non-experimental studies. Although suggestive, the results of these studies do not support a cause-and-effect relationship between benzodiazepine consumption and self-aggressive behavior. OBJECTIVE: To experimentally examine the effect of diazepam on human self-aggressive behavior under controlled laboratory conditions. METHOD: Forty-six healthy men and women were randomly assigned to receive placebo, or 5 mg or 10 mg diazepam in a double-blind, between-groups design. Participants were then provided the opportunity to self-administer electric shocks during a competitive reaction-time task (the self-aggression paradigm, SAP). Self-aggression was defined by the intensity of shock chosen. RESULTS: Diazepam (10 mg) was associated with higher average shock self-administered than placebo. Subjects receiving 10 mg diazepam were also more likely to attempt to self-administer a shock that they were led to believe was &quot;severe&quot; and painful. Sedation effects were found, but diazepam consumption did not impair memory, attention, concentration, pain threshold, or reaction-time performance. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically relevant diazepam doses may be associated with self-aggressive behaviors at levels that do not significantly impair basic cognitive processes or psychomotor performance.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0033-3158",
doi="10.1007/s00213-004-1966-8",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00213-004-1966-8"
}