Cognitive Psychopharmacology

Abstract

This article examines the use of compounds classified as “cognitive activators” to treat cognitive deficits from neurologic disorders, particularly brain injury. The compounds reviewed include catecholamine agonists, cholinergic agonists, nootropics, gangliosides, and thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH). We present both our own work and the work of other investigators who have studied the effects of these drugs on cognitive-behavioral functioning. A major emphasis of this article is the examination of different types of approaches to assess the treatment efficacy of drug interventions. The different approaches discussed include physiological, psychometric, and behavioral measures. Recommendations of specific measures that have been shown to be especially sensitive to treatment effects are provided.