Effect of cyclandelate on mental function and cerebral blood flow in elderly patients.

Abstract

There is no demonstrable impairment in the ability of the cerebral blood vessels of elderly subjects to dilate in response to physiological stimuli (Lassen, 1959), but there is general agreement that chemical agents are relatively ineffective in producing such dilatation. Recently, however, reports have appeared that dilatation of cerebral vessels has occurred in response to cyclandelate (Eichhorn, 1965 ; Kuhn, 1965), and there is some uncontrolled evidence that cyclandelate produces an improvement in mental function in elderly patients (Drift, 1961 ; Ravina, 1963 ; Ward, 1964). As the production of a substantial improvement in mental function in elderly patients would be of inestimable value, a controlled trial of cyclandelate has been made so that its effect on mental function and cerebral circulation in elderly patients could be investigated.