[Therapy of multi-infarct dementia with nicergoline: double-blind, clinical, psychometric and EEG imaging studies with 2 dosage schedules].

Abstract

In a double-blind study, clinical, psychometric and neurophysiological changes were investigated in patients with MID treated by two different drug administration schedules of nicergoline (20 mg evenings versus 10 mg b.i.d.). 24 hospitalized patients (4 males, 20 females) with a mean age of 78 years were included according to the criteria of DSM-III, an Ischemic-Score of at least 7 points and a specific computed tomogram (CT). After a placebo-period of 2 weeks all patients were randomly assigned to an 8-weeks-treatment with either 20 mg nicergoline h.s. or 2 x 10 mg b.i.d. The evaluation of the detailed psychopathology by means of SCAG, CGI, NOSIE, Hamilton-Depressions-Scale and Mini-Mental-Status, as well as psychometric investigations by means of the Nuremberg-Aging-Inventory (NAI), thymophysic and psychophysiological measurements showed a significant improvement in both groups as compared with pre-treatment. This improvement was observed slightly earlier in patients with 20 mg h.s. than in those on the b.i.d. schedule. However inter-group-differences reached the level of statistical significance in only 2 variables. Neurophysiological investigations by means of topographic brain-mapping showed interesting relations between functional EEG-images and morphological CT-images. Vigilance-improving patients showed a better therapeutic response than those who did not show neurophysiological changes indicative of improvement in vigilance. Our findings suggest, that a single dose once daily was at least equal to the b.i.d. administration as far as therapeutic efficacy was concerned, even more so in the light of an expected improvement of compliance.

• Authors: B Saletu, I Hochmayer, J Grünberger, F Böhmer, J Paroubek, L Wicke, A Neuhold
• Journal: Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) (Wien Med Wochenschr) Vol. 137 Issue 22 Pg. 513-24 (Nov 30 1987) ISSN: 0043-5341 [Print] Austria
• Vernacular Title: Zur Therapie der Multiinfarktdemenz mit Nicergolin1): doppelblinde, klinische, psychometrische und EEG-Imaginguntersuchungen mit 2 Dosierungsschemata.
• PMID: 3324497 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, English Abstract, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Ergolines
• Nicergoline

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Dementia (drug therapy, psychology)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Double-Blind Method
• Drug Administration Schedule
• Electroencephalography
• Ergolines (therapeutic use)
• Evoked Potentials (drug effects)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neuropsychological Tests
• Nicergoline (therapeutic use)
• Psychometrics