[Characteristics of the pharmacological action of piracetam]

As concerns most generally accepted characteristics adopted in pharmacological studies of psychotropic drugs pyracetam is little active, has no effect on the EEG of the cortex and subcortical structures of the brain. At the same time, in a number of tests this drug displayed a well-marked influence on the central nervous system. It restrains convulsive activity provoked by application to the cerebral cortex of strychnine and penicillin solutions, reduces EEG disturbances produced by barbiturates poisoning and acute hypoxia of the brain. Pyracetam also facilitates the process of teaching in rats, improves the execution of a developed conditioned avoidance reaction, protects rats against manifestations of retrograde amnesia induced by an electric shock, applied after development of the conditioned reflex of passive avoidance.