Acute i.v. vincamine teprosilate administration: quantified investigation in elderly subjects

The EEG changes in elderly subjects with chronic cerebrovascular disorders (CCVD) are well known and have been described by many authors. Vincamine teprosilate (Teproside), a drug supposed to act on the electrical activity of the brain, has the properties of modifying and, to some extent, improving age-related changes. Ten subjects, whose age ranged from 60 to 70 years, underwent the trial. Each received 1 ampoule i.v. of the active drug and 1 ampoule of placebo (or vice versa) after a 48-hour wash-out period, according to a double-blind randomized schedule. EEG recordings were performed at time 0 and then 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, and 4 h after injection. A double effect of vincamine teprosilate could be observed at the quantified EEG: 1) an early effect, i.e., an improvement of the EEG pattern within the first hour following administration; and (2) a slow-occurring effect that prevented negative EEG modifications from taking place at the fourth hour following administration.