Final answer:
Older adults taking long-acting sedatives or hypnotics are likely to experience ataxia, which is the lack of muscle coordination affecting voluntary movements. Depressants, including neuroleptic drugs, barbiturates, and others, can lead to sluggishness, incoordination, and cognitive impairments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Older adults who take long-acting sedatives or hypnotics are likely to experience adverse effects, with ataxia being one of them. Ataxia refers to a lack of muscle coordination which can affect various voluntary movements, such as walking, picking up objects, and speech. Given that neuroleptic drugs, barbiturates, and other depressants can lead to symptoms including sluggishness, incoordination, and difficulty in thinking, it's clear that these substances can significantly impair motor control and cognitive function. Furthermore, studies have shown that chronic exposure to certain substances like alcohol can lead not only to ataxia but also to further central nervous system side effects, such as tremors, withdrawal, and toxicity.
Compounds such as phenobarbital, a barbiturate, have overdose symptoms that include ataxia, incoordination, and difficulty in thinking, among others. Various depressants prescribed for medical use or consumed illicitly can have similar effects. These include lowered coordination and cognitive impairments. In particular, haloperidol, a medication that can be used to help with sleep, is known to have side effects that deal with changes in motor control, implicating regions associated with fine motor tasks in the nervous system. The physical effects of hallucinogens can sometimes be mistaken for those of depressants, as both can alter sensory perceptions; however, hallucinogens are primarily known for causing hallucinations and altered perceptions rather than coordination issues.