Page "Benzodiazepine" Paragraph 31

The short-term use of benzodiazepines adversely affects multiple areas of cognition, the most notable one being that it interferes with the formation and consolidation of memories of new material and may induce complete anterograde amnesia.

However, researchers hold contrary opinions regarding the effects of long-term administration.

One view is that many of the short-term effects continue into the long-term and may even worsen, and are not resolved after quitting benzodiazepines.

Another view maintains that cognitive deficits in chronic benzodiazepine users occur only for a short period after the dose, or that the anxiety disorders is the cause of these deficits.