Table 2.
Physiological measures for healthy participants treated with either standard placebo or 0.5 mg pramipexole.
| Means ± SD | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Variable | Placebo | Pramipexole | |
| HR (beats per minute) | |||
| Pre-Drug | 76.158 ± 9.400 | 73.250 ± 12.298 | |
| Pre-Task | 66.684 ± 9.434 | 68.750 ± 10.652 | |
| Post-Task | 64.368 ± 8.902 | 67.850 ± 10.733 | |
| Systolic BP (mmHg) | |||
| Pre-Drug | 106.737 ± 8.723 | 112.650 ± 12.816 | |
| Pre-Task | 102.421 ± 8.402 | 108.100 ± 12.473 | |
| Post-Task | 101.947 ± 8.488 | 105.200 ± 25.816 | |
| Diastolic BP (mmHg) | |||
| Pre-Drug | 71.579 ± 9.459 | 72.850 ± 7.604 | |
| Pre-Task | 65.368 ± 15.126 | 67.950 ± 7.075 | |
| Post-Task | 67.789 ± 5.170 | 69.500 ± 7.931 | |
| VAS alertness score | |||
| Pre-Drug | 62.678 ± 12.219 | 64.422 ± 14.429 | |
| Pre-Task | 58.639 ± 17.700 | 48.550 ± 15.475 | |
| Post-Task | 56.761 ± 19.312 | 45.311 ± 14.931 | |
| Variable | F stat | P-value | Comparisons |
| HR (beats per minute) | |||
| Medication effect | F(1,37) = 0.08 | p = 0.774 | |
| Time effect | F(2,74) = 32.40 | p < 0.001 | Pre-Drug > Pre-Task ***, Pre-Drug > Post-Task *** |
| Medication × Time Interaction | F(2,74) = 4.37 | p = 0.016 | Placebo: Pre-Drug > Pre-Task ***, Pre-Drug > Post-Task *** |
| Pramipexole: Pre-Drug > Pre-Task *, Pre-Drug > Post-Task ** | |||
| Systolic BP (mmHg) | |||
| Medication effect | F(1,37) = 1.812 | p = 0.185 | |
| Time effect | F(2,74) = 3.54 | p = 0.034 | Pre-Drug > Pre-Task ** |
| Medication × Time interaction | F(2,74) = 0.192 | p = 0.825 | |
| Diastolic BP (mmHg) | |||
| Medication effect | F(1,37) = 0.739 | p = 0.395 | |
| Time effect | F(2,74) = 5.167 | p = 0.008 | Pre-Drug > Pre-Task *, Pre-Drug > Post-Task * |
| Medication × Time interaction | F(2,74) = 0.073 | p = 0.930 | |
| VAS alertness score | |||
| Medication effect | F(1,37) = 2.628 | p = 0.113 | |
| Time effect | F(2,74) = 13.650 | p < 0.001 | Pre-Drug > Pre-Task ***, Pre-Drug > Post-Task *** |
| Medication × Time interaction | F(2,76) = 4.111 | p = 0.020 | Pramipexole: Pre-Drug > Pre-Task ***, Pre-Drug > Post-Task *** |
Effect of treatment with either standard placebo or 0.5 mg pramipexole on HR (beats per minute), systolic blood pressure (BP; mmHg), diastolic BP (mmHg) and visual analog scale (VAS) drowsiness score (N = 20). Data represent group means ± SD. All factors were analyzed with repeated-measures two-way ANOVAs. Measurements were taken Pre-Drug, Pre-Task (2 h after treatment) and Post-Task (3 h after treatment). A significant main effect of time was found for heart rate (HR; ***p < 0.001), with Bonferroni multiple comparisons analysis showing decreased HR from Pre-Drug to Pre-Task (***) and from Pre-Drug to Post-Task (***). The main effect of time was qualified by the time-medication interaction effect, with both placebo and pramipexole groups showing significantly decreased HR from Pre-Drug to Pre-Task and Pre-Drug to Post-Task (all p < 0.05). No significant main effect of medication was found. A significant main effect of time was found for systolic BP (*p < 0.05), with Bonferroni multiple comparisons analysis showing decreased systolic HR from Pre-Drug to Pre-Task (**p < 0.01). No significant main effects of medication or time-medication interaction effects were found. A significant main effect of time was found for diastolic BP (**), with Bonferroni multiple comparisons analysis showing decreased diastolic BP from Pre-Drug to Pre-Task (*) and from Pre-Drug to Post-Task (*). No significant main medication effects or time-medication interaction effects were found. A significant main effect of time was found for VAS Alertness Score (***), with further Bonferroni multiple comparisons analysis showing decreased VAS Alertness Score from Pre-Drug to Pre-Task (***) and from Pre-Drug to Post-Task (***). The main effect of time was qualified by the time-medication interaction effect, with the pramipexole group showing significantly decreased VAS Alertness Score from Pre-Drug to Pre-Task (***) and from Pre-Drug to Post-Task (***). No significant main effect of medication was found.