Sedative, analgesic and cognitive effects of clonidine infusions in humans †
Open accessAbstract
This placebo-controlled, randomized study evaluated, on separate days, the dose-response relationship for 1 h infusions of clonidine 1, 2 and 4 microg kg(-1) h(-1), in eight healthy volunteers aged 22-30 yr. Response end-points included sedation (bispectral index, visual analogue scale and observer assessment of sedation), analgesia to a cold pressor test, memory (recall of word lists), cognitive function (digit symbol substitution test (DSST)), respiratory function (respiratory rate, end-tidal carbon dioxide, oxygen saturation) and haemodynamic stability (heart rate and mean arterial pressure). Clonidine infusions resulted in significant and progressive sedation, but all subjects were easily awoken to perform tests and evaluations. Statistically significant analgesia, memory impairment and reduced performance on the DSST occurred during 4 microg kg(-1) h(-1) infusions (resulting in a plasma concentration of 2 ng ml(-1). There were no statistically significant changes in cardiorespiratory variables throughout the study.
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Impaired attention (as well as memory, working memory, reaction time and psychomotor function) has been observed after clonidine in neurotypical adults.
“While only one of these studies reported reduced cognitive performance in a WM task (43), impaired attention (as well as memory, working memory, reaction time and psychomotor function) has been observed after clonidine in neurotypical adults (78, 79), which similarly to guanfacine, is also an α2-adrenergic receptor agonist and can cause sedation.”
From Differential effects of a single dose of Lisdexamfetamine and Guanfacine on cognitive function in children with ADHD (2025) · cites this paper as [78]
The Cognitive function and coordination section (page unavailable) reports impaired word recall and reduced digit-symbol substitution performance after the highest clonidine dose in healthy volunteers. The Description of tests section identifies these as memory and psychomotor measures; the paper does not separately establish impaired attention, working memory, or reaction time. (LLM, conf=0.88)
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“…performance in a WM task (43), impaired attention (as well as memory, working memory, reaction time and psychomotor function) has been observed after clonidine in neurotypical adults (78, 79), which similarly to guanfacine, is also an a 2-adrenergic receptor agonist and can cause sedation.”
- Authors
- Hall, J. E., Uhrich, T. D., & Ebert, T. J.
- Affiliations
- Kyorin University (JP)
- Corresponding author
- Hall, J.E.
- ORCID
- Uhrich, T.D.
- Venue
- British Journal of Anaesthesia
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2001-01
- Volume
- 86
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 5-11
- ISSN
- 0007-0912 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W11575409
- Cited by
- 190
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 26 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 10.33
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- British Journal of Anaesthesia (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (submittedVersion)
- 杏林医学会雑誌
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Anesthesia and Sedative Agents
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Anesthesia and Pain Management
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Veterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia
- Keywords
- clonidine, sedation, analgesia, cold pressor test, memory impairment, cognitive function, bispectral index, hemodynamic stability, respiratory function, dose-response relationship, alpha-2 adrenergic agonists
- MeSH terms
- Adrenergic alpha-Agonists, Adult, Analgesics, Clonidine, Cognition, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Female, Hemodynamics, Humans, Hypnotics and Sedatives, Male, Pain Measurement, Mental Recall, Respiration, Conscious Sedation, Procedural Sedation
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