【Abstract】〓Objective〓To compare the effects of dexmedetomidine and midazolam on memory in patients with anxiety. Methods〓Sixty patients with Anxiety Visual Analog Test (AVAT)>30 mm, ASA Ⅰor Ⅱ,who were scheduled for hypogastrium and lower limbs surgery under combined spinal-eunder anesthesia were randomly divided into four groups(n=15,each group): dexmedetomidine (DXM) 0.5 µg·Kg-1 group (group D0.5), DXM 1 µg·Kg-1 group (group D1), midazolam group (group M) and saline group(group C). After spinal anesthesia in L2/3, patients were infused intravenously with dexmedetomidine at 0.5 µg·Kg-1 in Group D0.5,1 µg·Kg-1 in group D1, midazolam at 0.07 mg·Kg-1 in group M and saline 10 ml in group C over 10 minutes..AVAT, Rasmay score and memory function were evaluated at preoperation,.before and thirty minutes after drug infusion. Memory function were evaluated again 4 hours after operation. Mean blood pressure (MBP), heart rates (HR), SpO2,.respiratory rates (RR)of patients during operation were recorded..Results〓Patients in groups of D0.5,.D1 and M had significant sedation and decrease in anxiety after drug infusion when compared to preoperation(P<0.05 for all groups),and also had anterograde amnesia effect compared to group C (P<0.05 for all groups). The degree of anterograde amnesia in group D1 was significantly higher in group D1 than that in group D0.5 (P<0.05), but was the same to that in group M(P>0.05)..MBP,.HR in groups of D0.5 and D1 were lower than those in group M and group C..The respiratory rates had no significant difference among all groups. However,.two patients in group M had a decrease in SpO2 below 94%. Conclusion〓Dexmdetomidine has significant effects on antianxiety and sedation, and has an anterograde amnesia in patients with anxiety. The degree of anterograde amnesia at dexmedetomidine 1 µg·Kg-1 has the same effect as 0.07 mg·Kg-1 of midazolam.