Abstract: The present invention is to provide a drug for improvement of brain function which is effective to prevent from or to cure dementia such as Alzheimer's disease. The drug for improvement of brain function of this invention comprises leptin of mammals as an effective component wherefore has a superior effect in improvement of learning and memory.

Abstract: Peptide fragments and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, and therapeutic agents containing one or more of them as an effective component possess excellent therapeutic activity for improving cerebral function and protecting cerebral neurons and are useful as pharmaceutical agents. The peptide fragments of the present invention are amino acid residue peptide fragments of acid fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) of mammalian animals or humans which do not contain cysteine at the 16-position. The compounds include a 1-29 amino acid residue peptide fragment of acid fibroblast growth factor in which cysteine, an amino acid at the 16-position, is substituted with another amino acid, such as alanine, serine, or glutamic acid, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds also include a 1-15 amino acid residue fragment of acid fibroblast growth factor of mammalian animals or humans and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

Abstract: A subject suffering from ischemic shock is treated by administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of aFGF as the active ingredient of a pharmaceutical composition further containing a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: Butyrolactone derivatives having the formula ##STR1## wherein R is a C.sub.4 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, which have an appetite-regulating effect, a process for their production, and compositions containing them, are disclosed.