Psychopharmacologic investigations in healthy elderly volunteers: effects of pipradrol-vitamin (Alertonic) elixir and placebo in relation to research design.

Ninety-nine healthy elderly volunteers were tested to assess the effects of: 1) a pipradrol-vitamin (Alertonic) elixir, 2) a placebo, and 3) no treatment, during a one-week period. The assessment measures were the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Depression Scale, the Zung Depression Scale, Profile of Mood States, and the WAIS Digit Span. Alertonic had no sigmificant effects on mood, memory or appetite, and the placebo effect was rarely greater than 50 per cent. There were no significant side effects. The findings demonstrate a valid method for studying psychotropic agents in the elderly.