The automated assessment of the effect of flurazepam and nitrazepam on mood state.

Some further results on the effects of the two hypnotic drugs, nitrazepam and flurazepam monohydrochloride, on mood state are described. An automated assessment and scoring system, Computer Assisted Psychometric System (C.A.P.S.), was used to assess mood state and showed that both hypnotics had a mild euphoriant effect even when administered to healthy volunteers during the daytime. This was most marked in the case of nitrazepam. It is argued that such euphoriant side effects should be further investigated as they can occur when hypnotics are administered on a long-term nightly basis, and there may therefore be a dependency aspect for those patients who habitually take such hypnotic drugs. The broad scope of the C.A.P.S. system is also discussed.