Brain protection of nicergoline against hypoxia: EEG brain mapping and psychometry

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial human brain function and mental performance as well as the antihypoxidotic properties of nicergoline were studied utilizing blood gas analysis, EEG brain mapping and psychometry. Hypoxic hypoxidosis was experimentally induced by a fixed gas combination of 9.8% oxygen (O2) and 90.2% nitrogen (N2) equivalent to 6,000 m altitude, which was inhaled for 23 min under normobaric conditions by 16 healthy volunteers. They received randomized after an adaptation session placebo, 10 mg, 30 mg and 60 mg nicergoline (NIC). Evaluation of blood gases, brain mapping and psychometry was carried out at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 hrs oral drug administration. Blood gas analysis demonstrated a drop in PO2 from 95 to 35 and 34 mm Hg in the 14 and 23 min of inhalation, respectively. PCO2 decreased too (38 to 34 and 34 mm Hg), while pH increased (7.39 to 7.44 and 7.44). Base excess increased (-0.6 to 0.6 and 0.4) while standard bicarbonate decreased (24.4 to 24.1 and 23.8 mmol/l). Thus, blood gases remained stable between the 14 and 23 min of hypoxia during which time the neurophysiological and behavioral evaluations were carried out. EEG brain mapping exhibited an increase in delta/theta activity mostly over the parietal, temporal and central regions (left more than right), while alpha activity decreased (mostly over the parietal, central, frontal, fronto-temporal and temporo-occipital regions). 30 and 60 mg NIC attenuated this deterioration of vigilance. At the behavioral level, hypoxic hypoxidosis induced a deterioration of the noo- and thymospsyche which was mitigated by NIC. Based on 13 psychometric variables, the hypoxia-induced performance decrement was on the overall (2nd-8th hr) 43% after placebo as compared with pretreatment normoxic values, while only 29, 24 and 31% after 10, 30 and 60 mg nicergoline, respectively. The difference between placebo and the optimal dosage of nicergoline 30 mg reached the level of statistical significance (p less than 0.01, multiple Wilcoxon).