Pramiracetam: A nootropic agent with improved efficacy in patients with senile or presenile cognitive impairment

As the mean age of the general population increases, so does the need for reliable drugs for improving cognitive-memory disturbances in the elderly. Nootropic agents have been shown to improve memory and learning processes in animals and to be useful in patients with several types of senile or traumatic dementia. Pramiracetam, one of the newest nootropics to be launched, has exhibited good efficacy in both animal models of memory or learning impairment and patients with senile and presenile cognitive impairment, including dementia of the Alzheimer type. The exact mechanism of action of this drug has not been fully established, but clinical data on good efficacy, favorable pharmacokinetic properties and advantageous safety even on prolonged treatment make it a reasonable choice for treating attention and memory alterations in elderly patients with degenerative or vascular brain diseases.