Subject(s)
Depressive Disorder/therapy , Sports , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Humans , PrognosisABSTRACT
A randomized, double blind, cross-over study was carried out on long-term gerontopsychiatric patients. The aim of the study was to compare the EEG effects of a four weeks' treatment with 10-methoxy-1,6-dimethyl-ergoline-8 beta-methanol-(5-bromonicotinate) (nicergoline, Sermion) with those of dihydroergotoxin-mesylate (DHETM) and a four weeks' placebo period. The results of the power spectrum analysis with a consecutive factor analysis of the spectral data show that nicergoline and DHETM have a vigilance stabilizing effect which is characterized by a decrease in the relative power of slow delta-theta frequencies and an increase in the alpha power. As opposed to DHETM, for which this effect could not be proved, nicergoline produces a significant increase in power of the fast alpha frequencies as well as of the beta 1, beta 2, and beta 3 band.
Subject(s)
Attention/drug effects , Electroencephalography , Ergolines/pharmacology , Nicergoline/pharmacology , Aged , Dihydroergotoxine/pharmacology , Double-Blind Method , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
The electroencephalographic and clinical effects of piracetam were studied in a group of 11 hospitalized gerontopsychiatric patients treated with a daily dosage of 4.8 g for 8--13 months. The EEG was evaluated by power spectral analysis, followed by a principal component analysis of frequency parameters. The statistical analysis of the resulting factor scores shows that piracetam induces significant EEG changes: decrease of slow frequencies, augmentation and acceleration of alpha-activity and increase of beta-activity. These EEG changes, indicating an increase in vigilance, correspond clinically to an improvement of communicative behavior and cognitive functioning.
