Effect of benzodiazepines upon saccadic eye movements in man

The saccade or ;ump which the eye makes as it goes from one fixation point to another is the most common type of eye movement, but little is known about the factors which affect the velocity of the [ump, In this study a model of the eye movement‐eontrol system developed by Cook and Stark was used to predict the effect of muscle‐relaxant drugs upon the peak velocity and the magnitude of the saccade in man. It was found that 30 mg. of chlordiazepoxide and 5 mg. of diazepam reduced the peak saccadic velocity by about 11 per cent. Further studies with diazepam in oarious doses have shown this effect to be stable and reproducible in uulioiduals. These findings may have potential value as a method of bioassau in the intact human being and they exemplify how drugs may affect psychomotor performance.