Abnormal auditory N400 in a case of zolpidem dependence, during a working memory test

Eur Psychiatry. 2006 Mar;21(2):135-7. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2004.11.013.

Abstract

Zolpidem is a GABA (A) agonist, which is indicated for the short-term management of insomnia. Recent research provide evidence suggesting that zolpidem produces spatial working memory (WM) deficits and dependence; however, the underlying mechanisms of these effects are unknown. Since the auditory N400 component of event-related potentials (ERPS) is considered as an index of memory use of context processing, the present study focused on N400 waveform of ERPs elicited during a WM task in a case suffering from zolpidem dependence. The patterns of N400 waveform of this case were compared to the patterns obtained from healthy controls. This comparison revealed that zolpidem dependence is accompanied by reduced amplitudes located at posterior brain areas and diffuse prolongation of N400. These findings may indicate that zolpidem dependence manifests alterations with regard to the memory use of context processing, involving or affecting a wide-ranging network of the brain's structures.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cognition Disorders / chemically induced
  • Cognition Disorders / complications
  • Evoked Potentials, Auditory / drug effects*
  • Female
  • GABA Agonists / adverse effects*
  • GABA Agonists / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Memory Disorders / chemically induced*
  • Memory Disorders / complications
  • Memory Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Pyridines / adverse effects*
  • Pyridines / therapeutic use*
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / complications*
  • Time Factors
  • Zolpidem

Substances

  • GABA Agonists
  • Pyridines
  • Zolpidem