A controlled trial of piracetam in intellectually impaired patients with Parkinson's disease

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Abstract
Twenty patients with Parkinson's disease and marked intellectual impairment or dementia participated in a double‐blind placebo controlled trial of the nootropic, piracetam. A standardized neurological examination, a neuropsychological test battery, and a functional scale, The Sickness Impact Profile, were completed for all patients. They were then assigned by blind randomization to drug or placebo conditions receiving 3.2 g of piracetam or an identical amount of placebo for 12 weeks. The dose was increased to 4.8 g for an additional 12 weeks. Neurological, psychological, and functional measures were rated as improved, unchanged, or worsened in comparison to baseline performance. Twenty‐five percent of the patients did not complete the trial for reasons unrelated to the medication. Although there was a significant improvement on one subtest of the functional scale, no significant effects were demonstrated in cognitive or neurological measures.