[Quantitative EEG examinations on the vigilance stabilizing effect of nicergoline / Results of a double blind study with gerontopsychiatric patients (author's transl)].

A randomized, double blind, cross-over study was carried out on long-term gerontopsychiatric patients. The aim of the study was to compare the EEG effects of a four weeks' treatment with 10-methoxy-1,6-dimethyl-ergoline-8 beta-methanol-(5-bromonicotinate) (nicergoline, Sermion) with those of dihydroergotoxin-mesylate (DHETM) and a four weeks' placebo period. The results of the power spectrum analysis with a consecutive factor analysis of the spectral data show that nicergoline and DHETM have a vigilance stabilizing effect which is characterized by a decrease in the relative power of slow delta-theta frequencies and an increase in the alpha power. As opposed to DHETM, for which this effect could not be proved, nicergoline produces a significant increase in power of the fast alpha frequencies as well as of the beta 1, beta 2, and beta 3 band.