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Long-term and high-dose piracetam treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Hôpital Neurologique (Dr. Croisile, and Profs Trillet and Mauguière), Lyon; the Institut Laval, Hôpital Sainte Marguerite (Prof. Fondarai), Marseille, Hôpital Bellevue (Prof. Laurent), Saint Etienne; and Medical Department, UCB Pharma (Dr. Billardon), Nanterre, France.

Preclinical research suggests that piracetam (a nootropic drug) may improve cognitive functions, but previous studies have failed to demonstrate a clear benefit for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We report a 1-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study with a high dose of piracetam (8 g/d per os) in 33 ambulant patients with early probable AD. Thirty subjects completed the 1-year study. No improvement occurred in either group, but our results support the hypothesis that long-term administration of high doses of piracetam might slow the progression of cognitive deterioration in patients with AD. The most significant differences concerned the recall of pictures series and recent incident and remote memory. The drug was well-tolerated.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. B. Croisile. Department of Neurology, Hôpital Neurologique, 59 boulevard Pinel, 69003, Lyon, France.

Supported by d grant from UCB-Pharma, Nanterre, France.

Presented in part at the 43rd annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, Boston, MA, April 1991.

Received December 18, 1991. Accepted for publication in final form June 23, 1992.

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