This paper reviews the studies that have examined piracetam, the first of the nootropic drugs, as a treatment for developmental reading disorder. In various studies, 751 children have completed treatment in controlled double-blind trials using standardised tests of reading as outcome measures.Quantitative and qualitative review suggests that the findings are best interpreted as showing a statistical superiority of piracetam over placebo. Mechanism of action and clinical significance are discussed. The effect size is modest, but the drug is well tolerated and the balance of benefit over hazard is encouraging for future use.
