In order to investigate psychotropic properties of cerebral metabolic enhancers (CMEs), the author carried out two identical quantitative pharmaco-EEG studies in different age groups of healthy volunteers; the young group (group-Y) consisted of six males between the ages of 21-26 years and elderly group (group-E) consisted of six males between the ages of 60-66 years. The drugs tested were five CMEs, dihydroergotoxine mesylate (DHE), propentofylline (PPF), nicergoline (NCG), lisuride maleate (LIS) and ibudilast (IDL). Each volunteer received either of the five test drugs or inert placebo in six one-day weekly sessions' according to single-blind, randomized crossover design. In each session, a single oral dose, equivalent to the clinically recommended daily dose, of either drug or placebo was administered and EEGs were recorded before and 1.3 and 6 hours after the drug administration. Firstly, the background EEGs before the drug administration were compared between the two groups. Group-E showed less slow activities and more alpha and fast activities than group -Y. This difference in background EEG profiles between two groups are considered to be due to physiological aging process. Secondly, drug effects on EEGs in two groups were compared. There were discrepancies in drug-induced EEG changes between the groups. In group-Y, any of the five tested CMEs did not induce EEG changes that were significantly different from placebo, whereas, in group-E, drug-induced EEG changes were more apparent. In group-E, DHE and PPF induced similar EEG changes, which were characterized by a decrease of alpha activity associated with marked decreases of slow and fast activities, the EEG profile similar to thymoleptics with sedative effects. LIS and IDL induced a decrease of alpha activity and an increase of fast activities, the profile close to thymoleptics with mood-elevating (stimulant) effects. NCG induced an increase of slow activities, the profile close to central depressants. These results in this study coincided with the experimental and subjective classification of the clinical effects of CMEs. Further analysis of EEG profiles based on principal component analysis indicated that there were two major components in background EEGs. There were discrepancies in the response to CMEs between two groups. In group-Y, CME-induced changes were seen mainly in the second principal component, while in group-E, the changes were seen mainly in the first principal component. These results suggested CMEs provoked thymoleptic effects by affecting the essential component of the EEG basic rhythm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)