Can Antihistamines Affect Polygraph Tracings?

Can Antihistamines Affect Polygraph Tracings?
by: Alton Cantrell

PDD examiners are asking this question with increasing frequency. Antihistamines pose a somewhat unique problem for PDD examiners. The first reason is due to the availability of antihistamines without a prescription. Charts produced by examinees under the known influence of OTC antihistamines have very characteristic tracings which have proven adverse to being scored. The second reason is that a number of prescription and non-prescription "non-drowsy" antihistamines are being marketed which produce charts that have proven to be difficult to score, while producing no adverse, observable behavioral characteristics such as drowsiness, or sedation.

Diversified Educational Services

Diversified Educational Services is dedicated to equipping polygraph examiners with classroom instruction and educational materials which serves to enhance their formal educational training and their practical experience in the administration of polygraph examinations.

Polymedibase is a detailed, current drug database in a significant new offering. Alton Cantrell, a Certified Geriatric Pharmacist who developed this database, is a practicing registered pharmacist who also graduated from a polygraph school (Argenbright Polygraph Institute, 1988, ranked first in his class). His research paper for that school was written on the effects of drugs on polygraph examinations.He has lectured to numerous polygraph groups including the American Polygraph Association and National Polygraph Association's annual conventions. He administered polygraph examinations in the private sector for several years. He is a graduate of the Auburn University School of Pharmacy. He has served as President of the Alabama Associaton of Polygraph Examiners for two years. He currently serves as Adjunct Professor at DACA, Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina, as well as being a regular instructor at the polygraph school administered by the Texas Department of Public Safety in Austin, Texas. He has also developed drug databases for computerized polygraph programs.

Do Medications have the Ability to Affect Polygraph Charts?

Do Medications have the Ability to Affect Polygraph Charts?
by: Alton Cantrell

A puzzling reality with which PDD examiners struggle daily involve the various countermeasurers employed by those who purposely attempt to alter the outcome of their polygraph chart in their own favor. Aside from psychological and physical countermeasures, the challenge of the physiological effects of medications on the systems which determine the actual tracings is a real one. As opposed to the tack in the shoe, medications cannot be seen with the naked eye, their effects may not result in observable behavioral abnormalities, and the only clue may be charts which exhibit tracings that cannot be scored. When examinees disclose their use of medications prior to the test, the challenge of the PDD examiner is to determine if the disclosed list of medications contains any which adversely affect the charts. Knowing what to expect is very much in the favor of the PDD examiner, especially when that expectation is produced on an "Acquaintance Test." Therefore, a reliable medication reference is a huge ally to the PDD examiner. A second challenge occurs when bizarre tracings are produced and the examinee has failed to disclose any medication use. In the absence of finding any other documentable cause, medication use (legal or illegal) cannot be ruled out and must be suspected. Can medications cause an adverse effect on polygraph charts? The over whelming evidence, including PDD examiner experience and pharmacological research is a resounding YES. Does it always advesely affect the tracings to the extent that the test is invalid? The answer is NO. The prevailing wisdom of wise PDD examiners is to be as professionally prepared as they can be in predicting, recognizing and analyzing the effect of various medications on their tracings.

Diversified Educational Services

Diversified Educational Services is dedicated to equipping polygraph examiners with classroom instruction and educational materials which serves to enhance their formal educational training and their practical experience in the administration of polygraph examinations.

Polymedibase is a detailed, current drug database in a significant new offering. Alton Cantrell, a Certified Geriatric Pharmacist who developed this database, is a practicing registered pharmacist who also graduated from a polygraph school (Argenbright Polygraph Institute, 1988, ranked first in his class). His research paper for that school was written on the effects of drugs on polygraph examinations.He has lectured to numerous polygraph groups including the American Polygraph Association and National Polygraph Association's annual conventions.He administered polygraph examinations in the private sector for several years. He is a graduate of the Auburn University School of Pharmacy. He has served as President of the Alabama Associaton of Polygraph Examiners for two years. He currently serves as Adjunct Professor at DACA, Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina, as well as being a regular instructor at the polygraph school administered by the Texas Department of Public Safety in Austin, Texas. He has also developed drug databases for computerized polygraph programs.

Predicting the Effect of Drugs on Polygraph Tracings

Predicting the Effect of Drugs on Polygraph Tracings
by: Alton Cantrell

Individual variability and sensitivity to medications is a challenge to PDD examiners in establishing consistent expectations regarding the effect of drugs on polygraph charts. It is true that while the bell curve principle applies on this subject, there continues to be individuals that react "outside the curve" and give unpredictable responses. For example, while most pharmacists and physicians expect Benadryl, an antihistamine, to cause drowsiness or sedation, some individuals exhibit the exact opposite behavior. In the medical community, practitioners have learned to cautiously avoid the terms "Always" or "Never" because there are always exceptions. Pharmacological research evidence can generally predict the tracing of most individuals who have ingested a given medication. Some may react very moderately, some tracings, may show dramatic influence. However, there may be rare instances where the individual shows no indication on the chart, or they may exhibit the very opposite expected behavior.A further complication involves the ingestion of multiple medications. If the effects are additive (such as two tranquilizers, or medications with tranquilizer effects), the effect is easily predicted. However, when medications affect multiple organ systems, or have opposing pharmacological effects, the outcome can present bizarre tracings which may render the chart un-interpretable to the extent that it cannot be scored and therefore, to an inconclusive or "No Opinion" result.

Diversified Educational Services
Diversified Educational Services is dedicated to equipping polygraph examiners classroom instruction and educational materials which serves to enhance their formal educational training and their practical experience in the administration of polygraph examinations.

Polymedibase is a detailed, current drug database in a significant new offering. James Alton Cantrell, a Certified Geriatric Pharmacist who developed this database, is a practicing registered pharmacist who also graduated from a polygraph school (Argenbright Polygraph Institute, 1988, ranked first in his class). His research paper for that school was written on the effects of drugs on polygraph examinations. He has lectured to numerous polygraph groups including the American Polygraph Association and National Polygraph Association's annual conventions. He administered polygraph examinations in the private sector for several years. He is a graduate of the Auburn University School of Pharmacy. He has served as President of the Alabama Associaton of Polygraph Examiners for two years. He currently serves as Adjunct Professor at DACA, Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina, as well as being a regular instructor at the polygraph school administered by the Texas Department of Public Safety in Austin, Texas. He has also developed drug databases for computerized polygraph programs.