title: Piracetam-induced improvement of mental performance. A controlled study on normally aging individuals.
abstract: A double-blind, intra-individual cross-over comparison of the mental performance of 18 aging, non-deteriorated individuals during two 4-week periods of piracetam (1-acetamide-2-pyrrolidone) and placebo administration was performed using conventional and computerized perceptual-motor tasks. In a majority of these tasks the subjects did significantly better when on piracetam than on placebo, a finding consistent with ratings completed by two independent observers. The findings indicate new avenues for the treatment of individuals with reduced mental performance possibly related to disturbed alertness--a neglected group of psychiatric conditions.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects; D010465:Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D010889:Piracetam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010919:Placebos; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; D010889:Piracetam