Aniracetam is a
pyrrolidinone-type cognition enhancer that has been clinically used in the treatment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of
dementia following
stroke and in
Alzheimer's disease. New discoveries in the behavioral pharmacology, biochemistry and pharmacokinetics of
aniracetam provided new indications for this drug in the treatment of various CNS disorders or disease states. This article reviews these new findings and describes the effects of
aniracetam in various rodent models of mental function impairment or cerebral dysfunction. Also, several metabolites of
aniracetam have been reported to affect learning and memory in animals. It is, therefore, conceivable that major metabolites of
aniracetam contribute to its pharmacological effects. The animal models, used in pharmacological evaluation of
aniracetam included models of hypoattention, hypovigilance-arousal, impulsiveness, hyperactivity, fear and anxiety, depression, impaired rapid-eye movement sleep, disturbed temporal regulation, behavioral performance, and bladder hyperactivity. These are models of clinical disorders or symptoms that may include
personality disorders, anxiety, depression,
posttraumatic stress disorder,
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,
autism, negative symptoms of
schizophrenia, and
sleep disorders. At present, there is no convincing evidence that promising effects of
aniracetam in the animal models will guarantee its clinical efficacy. It is conceivable, however, that clinical trials will demonstrate beneficial effects of
aniracetam in the above listed disease states. New findings regarding the mechanism of action of
aniracetam, its central target sites, and its effects on signal transduction are also discussed in this review article.