PERFORMANCE TESTS OF AMNESIC PATIENTS WITH CYLERT

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Abstract
Four experiments were conducted with patients in the chronic stage of the Korsakoff syndrome to determine the effect of Cylert (pemoline with magnesium hydroxide) on learning, memory, and other related functions,by means of performance tests. Cylert was administered both singly and daily over three weeks, in doses of 25 and 50 mg. Control treatment was with lactose placebo, and in one experiment methamphetamine provided a second control. All drugs were administered orally, in a double-blind crossover design. Although there were some instances of improved performance on Cylert, none of the experiments furnished evidence that this effect is reliable under the conditions of a double-blind design which also controls for the contribution of practice. Neither did they indicate that Cylert exerted an adverse effect on performance. Whatever influence this drug may have on brain metabolism, it is unlikely to remedy severe memory disorders.