Cognitive functioning, personality traits and psychological distress in long-term benzodiazepine users
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2021-07-16
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en
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Abstract
Benzodiazepines are widely used in the treatment of anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances.
Negative side-effects of long-term use on cognitive performance have been reported, with
largest impairments for older men and those using higher doses. However, research using
validated neuropsychological tests is limited. In this study, it was examined whether long-term
benzodiazepine users showed impaired cognitive performance on four cognitive domains as
compared to a large normative data sample. Furthermore, it was examined whether sex, age and
benzodiazepine dose had a significant effect on cognitive functioning in long-term
benzodiazepine users. As a second analysis, personality traits, coping and anxiety levels were
analysed. Long-term benzodiazepine users showed significantly impaired cognitive functioning
on the psychomotor speed, episodic memory and sustained attention domain, but not in
executive functioning. No effects of sex, age or benzodiazepine dose were found. Long-term
benzodiazepine users reported more feelings of negativity, more somatization, more shyness,
more psychopathology and less extraversion compared to the general population. Furthermore,
they reported less active coping, more palliative coping, more avoidance coping, more passive
coping, less expression of emotions and higher anxiety levels. These results largely support
earlier performed studies. Studies that took into account more cognitive domains at the same
time are however rare. This study implies an overall cognitive effect in long-term
benzodiazepine users rather than specific effects. Therefore, treatment for long-term
benzodiazepine users may require tailored interventions.
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Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen