Summary
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1.
Twenty-five patients, 20 women and five men, with a mean age of 71 and one-half years and a diagnosis of cerebral arteriosclerosis with psychosis, were treated with two tablets of metrazol, 100 mg. each, or the equivalent in liquid metrazol, three times a day for 90 days. Of these, five showed good to excellent improvement, seven moderate improvement, seven were slightly better, and six showed no change as far as their mental status was concerned.
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2.
Physically, almost all the patients improved. While the red blood cells did not show significant statistical improvement, the mean change in the count was upward. It is specially to be noted that the mean systolic blood pressure of the 25 patients sank from 158 to 134 mm. of mercury, while the diastolic pressure dropped from 78 to 72.
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3.
In cases in which the EEG showed definite abnormalities, little improvement was gained. Perhaps this may be of value in selecting patients for metrazol therapy.
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From the results obtained in this admittedly small series of cases, the writer is, in agreement with most of the other investigators in this field, of the opinion that oral metrazol therapy, continued for a number of months, constitutes a safe and effective therapy for the improvement of senile, mentally confused patients with cerebral arteriosclerosis.
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Tennent, J.J. Experiences with metrazol in psychoses with cerebral arteriosclerosis. Psych Quar 30, 249–259 (1956). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01564344
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01564344