Within-subject comparison of the subjective and psychomotor effects of a gaseous anesthetic and two volatile anesthetics in healthy volunteers.
Drug and alcohol dependence January 4, 2006 Nancy J Beckman, James P Zacny, Diana J Walker
Inhalant abuse is a global health problem. This study compared intoxication from three inhaled anesthetics: isoflurane, sevoflurane (volatile substances), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Fourteen healthy volunteers inhaled vehicle (100% O2) and two concentrations of each drug for 40 minutes across seven sessions. Drug concentrations were chosen to produce similar ratings of drug effect strength and similar impairment on a psychomotor test. While ratings of drug effect strength and performance on that test were similar across drugs, volatile anesthetics caused greater sedation and more impairment on three other psychomotor tests than N2O, whereas N2O produced more pleasant and psychedelic-like subjective effects. These results align with the drugs' receptor mechanisms and support classifying volatile anesthetics separately from N2O.