Fight the onset of Alzheimer's with Memantine

Memantine is a class of drug that has proved particularly effective in treating neuro-degenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer’s disease.  It is the first Alzheimer's drug of its kind designed to treat the late stages of the illness, and works in a different way from other existing medicines.

An overabundance of glutamate, the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter, can cause brain nerves to become over-stimulated, which may result in damage or death.  Memantine acts by blocking the action of glutamate at NMDA receptors, thereby directly short-circuiting any over-excitation.

Memantine’s Action

Memantine appears to protect the brain’s nerve cells against the effects of abundant glutamate.  When glutamate binds to NMDA receptors, calcium is able to flow freely into the cell. Sustained elevation of glutamate thus leads to chronic calcium overexposure, which causes cell degeneration.  Memantine changes the way brain cells communicate with each other, and alters the amount of calcium found in brain cells.  Alzheimer's disease is linked to an increased build up of calcium.  Therefore, Memantine may stop or slow its formation and any potential damage to the brain.

What Does The Research Say?

Memantine has been used in Germany for over 10 years; however, it is only recent clinical trials that have highlighted its benefits with regard to age-related dementia.  One clinical study, conducted using the double blind placebo controlled method, concluded that Memantine is a safe drug and may be useful for treating Alzheimer's disease, vascular and mixed dementia of all severities.

A French study of Memantine was conducted in 2002 involving 321 geriatric patients exhibiting mild to moderate dementia.  Results illustrated, after 28-weeks of treatment with 20mg per day, consistently improved cognition with no deterioration in functioning and behavior.  Furthermore, it was considered to be devoid of any concerning side effects.

Barry Reisberg, a psychiatrist at the New York School of Medicine, suggested that Memantine appeared to slow the progressive loss of basic abilities like bathing and dressing, by at least half.  Reisberg’s study, at 32 medical centers across the US, involved 181 patients, all displaying symptoms of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease. All the patients lived in the community and had trouble dressing, bathing and going to the toilet.

Richard Harvey, the director of research at the Alzheimer's Society, identified the effects of both the drug, and research studies, as a very important contribution.

Memantine may also have beneficial effects for sufferers of Parkinson's disease. One clinical study concluded that it may improve Parkinson’s symptoms independently of using dopaminergic drugs.

There are also reports that Memantine could be efficacious in alleviating some intense pain conditions, particularly for painful neuropathy.

Memantine is known as Ebixa in Europe and Namenda in the USA.