From the data reported in the literature , it emerges that nootropics may be an effective alternative for strengthening and enhancing cognitive performance in patients with a range of pathologies .
Although nootropics , and specifically the cholinergic precursors , already have a long history behind them , according to recent renewal of interest , they still seem to have a significant therapeutic role .
Drugs with regulatory indications for symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer 's disease , such as cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine , often have transient effects in dementia disorders .
Nootropics represent probably the first " smart drugs " used for the treatment of cognitive deficits .
The aim of this paper is to verify , by a systematic analysis of the literature , the effectiveness of nootropics in this indication .
The analysis was limited to nootropics with cholinergic activity , in view of the role played by acetylcholine in learning and memory .
Acetylcholine was the first neurotransmitter identified in the history of neuroscience and is the main neurotransmitter of the peripheral , autonomic , and enteric nervous systems .
Effect of piracetam on cognitive performance in patients undergoing bypass surgery.
In this study , the protective effect of piracetam on select aspects of cognitive function in patients undergoing bypass surgery was investigated . Male patients ( n = 64 ) with an indication for a surgical revascularization using artificial extracorporal circuits were r and omly assigned in a double-blind fashion to receive a single challenge of 12-g piracetam infusion or placebo ( sterile saline ) prior to the bypass surgery . A brief battery of neuropsychological tests for verbal and non-verbal short-term memory and attention was administered 1 day before and 3 days after the surgical intervention . There was a significant difference in short-term memory and attention , with the piracetam-treated patients producing a better level of performance 3 days after surgery compared to the placebo group . The overall postoperative cognitive function ( z-transformation of all 6 test results ) was more significantly ( p < 0.001 ) reduced in the placebo group than in the piracetam group ( z = -1.19 + /- 0.72 vs. -0.46 + /- 0.58 , respectively ) . A single challenge of 12-g piracetam infusion prior to surgical intervention might offer a short-term neuroprotective effect for patients undergoing cardiac bypass surgery . Whether this effect persists for a longer period of time requires further investigation
From the data reported in the literature , it emerges that nootropics may be an effective alternative for strengthening and enhancing cognitive performance in patients with a range of pathologies .
Although nootropics , and specifically the cholinergic precursors , already have a long history behind them , according to recent renewal of interest , they still seem to have a significant therapeutic role .
Drugs with regulatory indications for symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer 's disease , such as cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine , often have transient effects in dementia disorders .
Nootropics represent probably the first " smart drugs " used for the treatment of cognitive deficits .
The aim of this paper is to verify , by a systematic analysis of the literature , the effectiveness of nootropics in this indication .
The analysis was limited to nootropics with cholinergic activity , in view of the role played by acetylcholine in learning and memory .
Acetylcholine was the first neurotransmitter identified in the history of neuroscience and is the main neurotransmitter of the peripheral , autonomic , and enteric nervous systems .