Comparison of the emotional effects of a beta-adrenergic blocking agent and a tranquilizer under different situational conditions. I. Anxiety-arousing situations.
This study investigated the emotional effects of the beta-adrenergic blocking agent oxprenolol (40 mg, p.o.) and the tranquilizing agent diazepam (5 mg, p.o.) in healthy subjects under three situational conditions: an emotionally neutral control situation and two situations designed to arouse different levels of anxiety. Both oxprenolol and diazepam induced positive emotional changes only in the more strongly anxiety-arousing situation. Significant differences between oxprenolol and diazepam in inducing emotional stabilization were not demonstrable.