Hydergine (DHE), a combination of dihydrogenated ergot alkaloids is the most widely used """"""""cognitive enhancing"""""""" drug prescribed for amelioration of the symptoms of senile dementia. A number of reports have described cognitive deficits, particularly in prefrontal cortex functions in patients with chronic schizophrenia. Ten patients who fulfilled DSM-III criteria for chronic schizophrenia were stabilized for at least six weeks on either active or placebo neuroleptics. Subsequently, each patient received, in addition to their neuroleptics, two weeks of placebo DHE, followed by 4 weeks of 6 to 9 mg per day of active DHE, followed by 4 weeks of placebo DHE. All patients and raters were blind to the active or placebo status of medications. Patients were evaluated daily on the brief psychiatric rating Scale (BPRS) with the last 2 weeks of the peak active dose period and last 2 weeks of each placebo period used for statistical analysis. Neuropsychological testing was performed during the last 2 weeks of the peak active dose and during the final 2 weeks of one of the placebo periods. Preliminary analysis suggests that Hydergine did not have a statistically significant effect on either neuropsychological testing or the BPRS.
