BACKGROUND The present study assessed psychomotor function in chronic, daily cannabis smokers during 3 weeks continuously monitored abstinence on a secure research unit. We hypothesized that psychomotor performance would improve during abstinence of chronic, daily cannabis smokers. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Performance on the critical tracking (CTT) and divided attention (DAT) tasks was ...

The consequences of alcohol consumption have risen high on health and social agendas in recent years. Although much work has focused on the physical problems associated with alcohol use, one theme that has emerged in alcohol research has been a focus on the effects of hangovers on functioning. This brief literature review specifically examines recent empirical investigations of the relationship...

Background and study aims: Colonoscopy with portal inhaled methoxyflurane (Penthrox) is highly feasible with low sedation risk and allows earlier discharge. It is unclear if subjects can return to highly skilled psychomotor skill task shortly after Penthrox assisted colonoscopy. We evaluated the psychomotor and cognitive effects of 15-minute inhalation of Penthrox in adults. Patients and method...

Although latent infection with Toxoplasma gondii is among the most prevalent of human infections, it has been generally assumed that, except for congenital transmission, it is asymptomatic. The demonstration that latent Toxoplasma infections can alter behavior in rodents has led to a reconsideration of this assumption. When infected human adults were compared with uninfected adults on personali...

Recovery from outpatient anaesthesia with propofol was followed in 10 patients, using a semantic recognition memory test (SemRT) (in a new implementation on a Psion hand-held microcomputer), choice reaction time (CRT) and critical flicker fusion threshold (CFFT). Group analysis of results revealed an effect on psychomotor performance as measured by the SemRT and CFFT (but not the CRT), 30 min a...

This investigation assessed whether early student performance with a dental handpiece on a didactic training aid known as the Learn-A-Prep II (LAP II) was predictive of performance on subsequent practical examinations in a preclinical restorative dentistry course. Eighty-one first-year students were given initial handpiece training and formative feedback using the LAP II and were then instructe...