a Car aCCIDENT, marITaL DIsPuTE aND amNEsIaauTOmaTIsm

Abstract

Amnesia automatism syndrome is an infrequent side effect of benzodiazepine intakes: a documented case, due
to a bromazepam intoxication following a marital dispute, is presented. On the afternoon of the day after this intoxication, the victim, a 38 year old man, was involved in a car accident. Witnesses reported a somnolent, distraught
and staggering car driver who was unable to decline hisidentity, or answersimple questions. He regained consciousness in the evening, but without any memory of the days events. The toxicological investigations revealed a clearly
toxic bromazepam blood concentration (1.710 µg/L). This massive intoxication found expression in an amnesia
automatism syndrome characterised by an anterograde amnesia together with disturbed behaviour (partly on reflex)
which, nevertheless, allowed long distance car driving. Amnesia automatism syndrome is sometimes observed after
the intake of some benzodiazepines, in particular in naïve patients and with high dosage. To our knowledge, it has
not yet been reported with bromazepam.