Cognitive improvement in clinical trials with nootropic drugs: when can it be expected and how to clarify its meaning

In order to have a correct evaluation of the activity of a nootropic drug, the criteria adopted for the choice of patients to be included in the clinical trials and the methods used to clarify the meaning of changes observed on cognitive tasks are reported. The results of a clinical trial with the nootropic oxiracetam carried out in line with the above-mentioned criteria and methods are related.