Memantine

Memantine is an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, a medication originally developed for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. It works by reducing neurotransmitter release and slowing down nerve signals in brain areas affected by dementia, including memory and learning centers, thereby helping to manage related symptoms such as confusion, sleeplessness, and agitated behavior.
While memantine initially gained recognition as a management tool for moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease, it has since received approval for use in advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease that involve dementia. Because it does not improve communication between brain cells, memantine does not halt the progression of memory loss or reverse dementia to any significant degree. However, due to its unique properties, regular use of memantine can increase the time between dementia or Parkinson’s disease hospitalizations, enhance quality of life while managing the condition, and alleviate some symptoms to a variable extent.
Dosages of memantine are largely dependent on the severity of the symptomatology and the patients’ overall health status. The general starting dose for Alzheimer’s disease management is normally 5 mg per day, before increasing gradually over several months to a target of 20 to 28 mg daily. For its use in advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease involving dementia symptoms, a common starting range is between 5 and 11 mg daily, adjusting as needed towards a maximum of 29 mg per day.
It must be noted that memantine should typically be taken in combination with other suitable medications for maximum benefit based on individual conditions. Patient safety and efficacy are therefore best served under the comprehensive supervision of healthcare professionals.