Effect of an acute dose of crotylbarbital on reaction time and attention testing in healthy human subjects.

The effect of an acute dose of crotylbarbital (2 mg/kg) on reaction time and attention testing was studied in 12 volunteers. This dose appeared to be a threshold for which both performance impairments and improvements were found. Relationships to the vigilance level of the subjects were established. The problem of reactive exertion increase is discussed in conjunction with crotylbarbital concentrations in the subjects' saliva.