Treatment of senile dementia and cerebellar disorders with phthalazinol. Cyclic AMP-increasing agent, phthalazinol, in therapeutic trials in hitherto incurable morbid conditions (I).

Three patients suffering from presenile dementia and two patients suffering from senile dementia were treated with phthalazinol. A limited but definite improvement in attentiveness, vocabulary reception and psychologic attainment and also a limited but definite improvement in range of motion, gait and endurance were noted shortly after the treatment with phthalazinol and the progression of their dementia seemed to be temporarily retarded by phthalazinol. Seven patients suffering from parenchymatous cerebellar degeneration (late cortico-cerebellar atrophy) and four patients suffering from olivopontocerebellar atrophy were treated with phthalazinol. A relatively rapid, limited and sustained improvement of cerebellar functions, including those of speaking, writing and walking, was noted in almost all patients. Also, rigidity, akinetic tendency and abnormal posture seen in olivopontocerebellar atrophy fairly well responded to the treatment. Dysphagia, disturbance of micturition, and hypersecretion of saliva have also rapidly and completely disappeared in all cases. The cases with a long history responded relatively poorly, but the cases with a relatively short history responded quite strikingly to the therapy. No side effects were noted.