Effect of Atropine and 2-PAM Chloride on Vision and Performance.
Abstract
We investigated the effects of an anticholinergic drug, atropine, on visual performance as part of our ongoing study of the effects of anticholinergic drugs on vision and visual performance. Ten healthy young men were given 0, 2 and 4 mg of atropine/70 kg body weight in a balanced double blind study. Their performance on the BLASER tank tracking simulator at Letterman Army Institute of Research, San Francisco, was assessed before and after intramuscular injection. Horizontal tracking errors increased significantly 2.5 to 3 hour after the 4 mg dose of atropine but not 0.5 to 1 hour after injection. In accordance with our previous findings, the 2 mg dose of atropine produced no statistically significant change in tracking performance. We also found prolonged (48 hours) visual side effects at both doses of atropine. The 4 mg dose caused significantly more loss of near focusing ability than did the 2 mg dose. The 4 mg dose produced near visual acuity loss even in these young men. The most notable side effect of the 4 mg dose of atropine (aside from dry mouth) was increased fatigue. Surprisingly, the tracking performance loss followed the slow time course of the visual side effects and not the relatively rapid time course of the cardiovascular changes induced by the drug.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADB100001
Entities
People
- Anthony J. Adams
- Arthur Jampolsky
- Gunilla Haegerstrom-portnoy
- Reese E. Jones