[Psychopharmacological studies on the interactions between alcohol and oxazepam with regard to reaction behavior. 1st communication. Changes of psychomotor coordination and reaction behavior].

The interactions between oxazepam and ethanol were investigated in a pharmacopsychological study. The results of the psycho-experimental investigations are reported in this paper. The effects of oxazepam and/or ethanol doses given to 14 subjects with known blood concentrations of the respective substances were monitored and compared to placebo effects. - An analysis of the experiments with respect to the psychomotoric responses showed a tendency towards motoric instability under ethanol (A), whereas in the placebo experiment a relatively constant level of efficiency was maintained. In the oxazepam experiment (C) a slowing of the psychomotoric functions was observed. The concomitant influence of ethanol and oxazepam accentuates the motoric instability with a delay of the motoric responses. These effects remain visible, though slightly modified, after the administration of both substances at intervals (E). The experiments showed a decrease in efficiency during continuous exercise, a delayed response to optic and acoustic stimuli, and a retardation of the entire behavioral pattern under the influence of ethanol and oxazepam. The results indicate the existence of marked interactions between ethanol and oxazepam.