ALCOHOL-INDUCED ORGANIC CEREBRAL PSYCHOSYNDROMES - PARTIAL REVERSAL OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENTS ASSISTED BY DIHYDROERGOCRISTINE

Chronic alcohol abusers show a specific pattern of cerebral damage ass ociated with cognitive and behavioral defects known as the organic cer ebral psychosyndrome, which is partially reversible upon discontinuati on of ethanol consumption. To assess the potential of nootropic drug t herapy in alcohol rehabilitation in a double-blind study design, 56 co nsecutive patients who participated in routine rehabilitation therapy received 2 x 3 mg/day dihydroergocristine or placebo in tablet form ov er 6-13 weeks. Forty-nine patients completed the protocol. Although si gnificant improvement was seen in both groups, we could document a spe cific cognitive restitution effect attributable to dihydroergocristine . Significant differences in favor of the active drug group were demon strated by Mini-Mental State Examination, Syndrome Brief Test, Paired Words Test, in the neuropsychiatric Brief Cognitive Rating Scale asses sments, and in the Clinical Global Impression of Change rating. No sig nificant between-group differences were found in the Digit Symbol Test and the Block Design Test as well as in the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Dihydroergocristine was equivalent to placebo in terms o f subjective drug tolerance, lack of side effects, and laboratory para meters. Based on this profile of efficacy and safety, we recommend dih ydroergocristine as an adjuvant drug in alcohol rehabilitation.