The Effects of an Ergot Alkaloid Derivative (Hydergine) on Aspects of Psychomotor Performance, Arousal, and Cognitive Processing Ability

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Abstract
Hydergine, 12 mg/day for 2 wk, has some direct activity on a variety of tasks of mental and cognitive performance. Biochemical findings implicate that the ergot alkaloids (particularly co-dergocrine, Hydergine) in cellular activity are likely to increase cortical arousal and awareness. The high dose of Hydergine used in this volunteer study was well tolerated and produced significant results on individual measures of CNS activity which might suggest the use of similar doses in patient populations. The findings of a hangover of activity after drug withdrawal and the fact that some CNS activity (serial subtraction of 17s) is not obvious until 2 wk of medication would suggest the need for pharmacokinetic measures to be taken in conjunction with psychologic assessments. Apparently a 2 wk schedule of repeated doses is the minimum required to produce an effect on CNS activity, but even with such a dose regimen it appears that the drug continues to exert some effect after its withdrawal.