EFFECTS OF MEPROBAMATE, PHENOBARBITAL AND DEXTRO-AMPHETAMINE ON REACTION TIME AND LEARNING IN MAN

¹ National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Bethesda, Maryland

The effects of 800 and 1600 mgm. of meprobamate, 5 and 15 mgm. of d-amphetamine and 60 and 120 mgm. of phenobarbital were studied on the performance of 8 normal subjects on a multiple stimulus-response apparatus. Three procedures were studied: simple motor behavior, choice reaction time and learning. The following conclusions were drawn:

Meprobamate at 1600 mgm. significantly impairs motor coordination and reaction time.

Meprobamate at 800 and 1600 mgm. significantly affects learning rate.

Neither 60 nor 120 mgm. of phenobarbital nor 5 or 15 mgm. of d-amphetamine significantly affected motor coordination, reaction time or learning.