Journal article

Publication year: 2001

Pages: 247-258

Journal: Quarterly journal of experimental psychology. Section B: Comparative and physiological psychology

Volume number: 54

Issue number: 3

ISSN: 0272-4995

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/02724990143000036

Publisher: Psychology Press

Abstract: 
Temporal processing of durations in the range of seconds or more is mediated by working-memory mechanisms whereas processing of brief durations in the range of milliseconds appears to be beyond cognitive control and modulated by dopaminergic activity in the basal ganglia. In the present study, the effects of the selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor reboxetine on temporal information processing were evaluated. In a double-blind crossover design, either placebo or 2 or 4 mg of reboxetine were administered to 24 healthy male volunteers. Performance on temporal discrimination of longer durations, as indicated by 75%-difference thresholds in relation to a 1,000-ms standard interval, was significantly improved by 2 mg of reboxetine as compared to placebo, whereas the improvement observed with the 4-mg dose just failed to reach statistical significance. There was, however, no effect of reboxetine on temporal discrimination of extremely brief durations, as indicated by threshold values in relation to a 50-ms standard interval. Findings provided additional evidence for the notion that temporal processing of durations in the range of seconds is based on working-memory processes including aspects of directed attention. In timing of brief durations in the range of milliseconds, however, noradrenergic activity did not seem to play a critical role.

Harvard Citation style: Rammsayer, T., Hennig, J., Haag, A. and Lange, N. (2001) Effects of noradrenergic activity on temporal information processing in humans, QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY SECTION B-COMPARATIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY, 54(3), pp. 247-258. https://doi.org/10.1080/02724990143000036

APA Citation style: Rammsayer, T., Hennig, J., Haag, A., & Lange, N. (2001). Effects of noradrenergic activity on temporal information processing in humans. QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY SECTION B-COMPARATIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY. 54(3), 247-258. https://doi.org/10.1080/02724990143000036