Effect of clonidine on the human acoustic startle reflex

Kumari, V, Cotter, P, Corr, P J, Gray, J A and Checkley, S A (1996) Effect of clonidine on the human acoustic startle reflex. Psychopharmacology, 123 (4). pp. 353-360. ISSN 0033-3158

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Abstract

The present study investigated in healthy human volunteers whether clonidine reduced the amplitude of the acoustic startle reflex and whether this effect, if found, was due to an accelerated rate of habituation. Subjects were presented with startle-eliciting noise-bursts after intravenous (iv) infusion of clonidine (1.5 microgram/kg) and saline on separate days. Clonidine significantly reduced the amplitude of the acoustic startle reflex (as indexed by the eyeblink component) relative to the saline treated condition. This effect was neither due to an accelerated rate of habituation of the startle reflex nor to the sedative effect of clonidine. These findings complement an earlier report (Morgan et al. 1993) that yohimbine augments the amplitude of the startle reflex in man. Taken together, the two reports indicate a new model for the clinical investigation of central alpha2 adrenoceptor function in humans.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	acoustic stimulation,adrenergic alpha-2 receptor agonists,adrenergic alpha-agonists,adult,affect,attention,blood pressure,clonidine,cross-over studies,double-blind method,female,habituation, psychophysiologic,humans,infusions, intravenous,male,startle reaction,sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	05 Feb 2014 13:40
Last Modified:	24 Oct 2022 05:26
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/45837
DOI:	10.1007/BF02246646

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