Lack of Efficacy of Hydergine in Alzheimer's Disease

To the Editor: Thompson et al. (Aug. 16 issue)¹ suggest that Hydergine (Sandoz brand of ergoloid mesylates) is ineffective in treating Alzheimer's disease and may in fact "cause cognitive dysfunction, perhaps through a direct toxic effect or by accelerating the progression of Alzheimer's disease." Such speculation seems unsupported by the data presented and may cause unwarranted concern among patients, their families, and their physicians.Hydergine has been studied in dozens of clinical trials during the past 20 years,^{2 3 4 5 6 7} and although evidence of efficacy is equivocal, no suggestion of adverse cognitive effects has emerged. The speculation about such effects by Thompson . . .