The proposal seeks to investigate the structure and hydration of the nootropic drug piracetam in aqueous solutions by neutron scattering on the SANDALS instrument, with particular view to a) understand which modes of aggregation (e.g. dimers or chains) are preferred and stabilised in solution as a function of temperature and concentration, and b) provide models for comparing the short-range ordering in solution with the long-range ordering observed in the various crystal forms of piracetam. Neutron scattering experiments on the deuterated material will be complemented with X-ray diffraction studies. It is anticipated that the results will provide important structural information that has the potential to impact our understanding of crystal precursor states, and ultimately of solid-state polymorphism of this drug compound.