PRAMIRACETAM EFFECTS ON SCOPOLAMINE-INDUCED AMNESIA IN HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS

Pramiracetam has been evaluated for its potential antiamnesic properti es in scopolamine-induced amnesia in healthy volunteers. Two groups of twelve males, 18-42 and 55-65 years old, respectively, were randomly assigned to oral treatment with pramiracetam (600 mg twice a day) or w ith placebo for 10 consecutive days. On day 11 each subject was inject ed intramuscularly with scopolamine hydrobromide (0.5 mg). Before scop olamine injection and then 1, 3 and 6 h after it, subjects were admini stered the following psychometric tests: simple and choice visual reac tion times, digit symbol substitution test, Rey's 15 words test for sh ort and long term verbal memory. Scopolamine significantly impaired ep isodic memory and selective attention tests in both scopolamine and pl acebo groups. Instead visuo-motor and incidental learning measures wer e unaffected. Pramiracetam, when compared to placebo, was able to part ially reduce the amnesic effects induced by scopolamine both in young and old subjects.