Piracetam: Background & No Value AD, Park, dyslexia: Chris Schoon at www.erowid.org says used for AD, dyslexia, Parkinsonism, and elderly drivers. A nootropic similar to the amino acid pyroglutamate with a different side chain. Made 30 yr age by UCB Labs and has many trade names. Not regulated by FDA. Six very similar "iracetams" have been made. Supposedly enhance memory, attention, and intelligence. Says very little empirical evidence. 1 yr DB placebo study with 8g/d for 33 patients with AD but no benefit. Says may still be slowing progression. Well tolerated. B Croisile, Neurol 2/93 43:301-5. Herrmann in Int Psychogeriatr ’92 4:25-44 Thought of some value in DB of 130 patients at 4.8g/d. Study with 101 elderly drivers Rx 4.8g/d or placebo for 6 wk with some improvement for piracetam group. Pharmacopsychiatry 7/91;24:121-6. For 20 Parkinson’s disease pts with dementia DB 3.2 g/d x 12 wk then 4.8/d x 12 wk. No diff cog or neurol. Nov Disord ’90;5:230-4.For 60 dyslexics 9-13yo for 10 wk med no value. J Learn Disorder 11/91;24:542-9.

Piracetam: Says Helps Downs, Myoclonus, IHD angina, Venous Thrombosis: www.ceri.com says 1^st report of piracetam benefit in 1974 in Spain by Fialmo with 26 1-12yo with Downs Syndrome reported dramatic benefit. Also used for infant myoclonus 10-20 g/d. P. Brown in Mov Disorder 8:63-8 ’93 with 2.4-16.8 g/d DB 2wk crossover for 21 pt was a good adjunct for myoclonus. An open study by Ikeda of 60 pt in ’96 Mov Disorder 11/96 11:691-700 says helped. Rapidly absorbed but slow CNS buildup. Renal execretion. Van Vleymen reviewed in ’96 Acta Neurol Belg 96:270-80 of 2 DB, 3 open, and 62 case reports for total of 171 pt found of value for myoclonus. Thought to work against oxidative stress and fluidize the brain membrane.

Piracetam: Also reportedly found to be of value for IHD when combined with Vit E decreasing angina and increasing exercise tolerance. Pimenov, Klinicheskaia Meditsina 75(1)32-5, ’97. Study with venous thrombosis, piracetam is antithrombotic with heparin or Vit K antag. Inhibits thromboxane and decreases fibrinogen at 0.8-1.6 g TID. Morau, Arzneimittel Forschung 43:110-8 ’95.

See Alzheimer's Disease for Piracetam & AD:

Piracetam: Helps/Doesn’t Help amnesia of ECT & hypoxia: AH Gouliaev, Aarhus U, Brain Res Brain Res Rev 5/94;19:180-222; A later DB study found no value.

Piracetam: Helps Myoclonus of Unverricht-Lundborg disease: Three doses vs placebo in crossover DB. Highest dose of 24g/d best without significant S-E. Improved motor and functional and global assessment. Koskiniemi, U Helsinke, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry ’98 64:344-8

Piracetam: Helps Breathing Holding Spells in Kids: 76 kids Rx DB placebo with 40mg/kg/d in 2 doses for 2 mo. 92% controlled with piracetam vs. 30%. No diff S-E. MM Donma, Istanbul, Pediatr Neurol 1/98;18:41-5

Piracetam: Helps Aphasia and Sickle Cell and Beta Thal: Huber in ’97 Rx 0-3yo aphasic kids DB 6 wk with benefit. Arch Phys Med & Rehab. El-Hazmi ’96 Rx anti-sickling in beta-thalassemia in Saudi Arabia with markedly decrease in severity and need for transfusions for 3-12yos. Cta Haemol (Basel) 96:221-6.