Memantine reduces the actions of chemicals in the brain that may contribute to the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Long-term alcohol exposure leads to the development of alcohol dependence, which is possibly induced by changes in specific neurotransmitter functions. Accumulating evidence suggests that the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) type of ionotropic glutamate receptor is a particularly important site of action for ethanol. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the acute effects of memantine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, on the subjective, physiological, and performance effects of alcohol in moderate (10-30 drinks per week) alcohol drinkers. Signals communicated across brain cells essentially enable us to think, learn, and remember. We also provide information on where to safely purchase hard to obtain medicines, nutritional supplements and bio identical hormones to make these theories and methods a reality.. Still, the main goal of this research was to focus more on Aricept’s effectiveness than Namenda’s. There is no cure for Alzheimer’s. Memantine could help improve memory, attention, reasoning, and language. Renaissance of NMDA receptor antagonists: do they have a role in the pharmacotherapy for alcoholism? Memantine is derived from a naturally occurring compound called adamantine, which is found in teeth and other bony parts of the body.Memantine works in a very different way to most existing drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s. In people with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s, memantine seems to provide some benefits, in terms of slowing the deterioration of Alzheimer’s. Declaration : These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drugs Administration. Other medications used for Alzheimer's disease affect acetylcholine, one of the neurotransmitter chemicals that nerve cells in the brain use to communicate with one another. These changes are believed to underlie the development of ethanol tolerance and dependence as well as acute and delayed signs of withdrawal. One study, conducted using a double-blind, placebo-controlled method, concluded that Memantine was safe and effective in treating Alzheimer’s, vascular and mixed dementia of varying severity. That said I thought I’d list the abstracts from three published articles below, all of which involve memantine and alcohol as they may give you more information to go on: In addition, there are (as you probably know) also links between serotonin and alcoholism. Although in vivo data are few, according to their in vitro efficacy and good tolerability, novel NMDA antagonists, especially the NR2B-selective antagonists, may offer a preferable alternative to the presently available pharmacotherapies for treating alcoholism. Namenda is used to treat moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer's type. How does Aricept/Donezepil work? Memantine is in a class of medications called NMDA receptor antagonists. It is acetylcholine that is badly affected in Alzheimer’s sufferers. Namenda was approved by the FDA in 2003 and is available as a tablet, a solution, and an extended-release capsule. Memantine use should be carefully monitored by your doctor if you have a history of seizures or have recently had a heart attack, kidney disease or untreated hypertension. Memantine will be prescribed by a specialist doctor. The fourth drug, memantine, regulates the activity of a different chemical messenger in the brain that is also important for learning and memory. However, Namenda does not cure Alzheimer’s disease or halt the deterioration of the brain. Common side effects include dizziness, headache, confusion and agitation. Memantine is a drug approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease. These results indicate that memantine may have therapeutical potential as an anti-craving drug for alcohol. Glutamate plays an essential role in learning and memory by triggering NMDA receptors to allow a controlled amount of calcium to flow into the nerve cells. Memantine (Namenda) is approved by the FDA for treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease. Namenda (memantine) is postulated to exert its therapeutic effect through its action by blocking nmda receptors. (It did not work for someone in the early stages of dementia.) Memantine increased subjective reports of dissociation, confusion, and stimulation, and impaired motor coordination on the balance task. Memantine is believed to work by preventing this destructive process by blocking the action of  Alzheimer’s glutamate at NMDA receptor sites. DementiaCareCentral.com was developed with funding from the National Institute on Aging (Grant #R43AG026227). The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. In clinical trials, memantine out-performed a placebo for patients in these phases of the disease. Aricept, Razadyne, and Exelon work in the same way in the brain, while Namenda works through a different system. In addition to being a proven Alzheimer’s Disease treatment, Memantine is useful for treating people who have not been diagnosed with a specific senile dementia, but who have general mental decline. Read on to learn more about this drug, its mechanisms, side-effects, and more! Normally, Clinical trials have also indicated its benefits as a Parkinsons Disease treatment. Memantine HCL is not known to cause addiction but, used in high dosages and in conjunction with other substances, can lead to dangerous side effects. memory. Unfortunately, this burden was not relieved despite moderate improvement in the sick individuals being cared for. To this end, the aminoacids L-tryptophan and 5HTP (5-hydroxy-tryptophan) have been used to ‘treat’ alcoholism, although that may be more along the lines to treat the ‘obsessive compulsive disorder.’ We have two articles about these aminoacids which do mention something about this in them, as follows: http://www.antiaging-systems.com/articles/93-l-tryptophan-natural-prozac, http://www.antiaging-systems.com/articles/18-5-htp-prozac-s-true-alternative. 5-HT neural circuits also help counterbalance the tendency of overactive (e.g. You may find there differing methods of action interesting, although I do suspect that the improvement is more along the lines of improved memory/ concentration, perhaps as a result of the alcoholism rather than as a preventative to alcohol itself. It helps balance glutamate, a brain chemical involved in memory and learning. Memantine is the first Alzheimer's drug that shows promise in the late stages of the disease. Please call our, IAS sponsors and supports all of the following organisations, » View all professional and referenced articles here, » Visit the Aging Matters magazine website, » See the complete list here, also includes audio files, » Read Dr. Dean’s answers to your questions, » What’s happening when and where in the World. It isn’t a cure (there is no cure for Alzheimer’s or related dementias) but studies have shown memantine treats symptoms by improving memory, awareness, and concentration. It’s part of a class of drugs known as cholinesterase inhibitors. Cholinesterase inhibitors also work to increase communication between cells but target a different neurotransmitter. Memantine is an Alzheimer’s Disease treatment that has substantial benefits for older people in general. Memantine is not a cure, but it can slow down the progression of the symptoms in some people. Copyright 2017 © International AntiAging Systems - Any person who wishes to copy and paste information from the website for publishing on the internet unchanged must do so only with the express written permission of IAS. Common Questions and Answers about Does memantine work namenda Hey everyone, I have tried many different ocd drug therapies, but have yet to try a glutamate modulating therapy such as Memantine (Namenda), Riluzole (Rilutek), N-acetyl cysteine, or amantadine. Memantine can be taken in addition to other Alzheimer’s drugs, such as Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl (galantamine) as it works in a very different way. The following was published in: Psychopharmacology (Berl). There are daily factors in our lives that cause over stimulation of NMDA receptors. 9,12 This inhibition blocks neuronal excitation or CSD and therefore is thought to inhibit migraine pain. Administration of memantine (1-amino-3,5-dimethyl-adamantane), a clinically used uncompetitive NDMA receptor antagonist, resulted in a significant reduction of the alcohol deprivation effect without any sedative, dysphoric or stimulant side-effects. Although the drug does improve cognitive abilities as it’s mechanism of action, it is most likely to occur only in the use of individuals suffering from dementia or other brain injuries. Memantine (Namenda) for Lewy Body Dementia Thing you should know #1: Memantine, also known by its trade name Namenda, works by blocking a … NMDAR antagonists attenuate not only the physical symptoms but also some affective and motivational components of alcohol withdrawal. Memantine may also be used for purposes not listed in … It works by reducing the amount of a brain chemical called glutamate. Since 1991 we have been producing articles, magazines and conferences to promote and educate the population on how to maintain optimal health as they age. Memantine can be taken with other Alzheimer’s drugs such as Aricept, Exelon, and Reminyl (galantamine), as it works in a different manner. METHODS: Eighteen volunteers without alcohol dependence were tested using a double-blind design with three 3-day long inpatient phases separated by at least a 2-week wash-out period. Memantine may improve the ability to think and remember or may slow the loss of these abilities in people who have AD. These are the two main conclusions of a 24-week, open-label extension of a 28-week, randomized clinical trial. Thank you for your interesting questions regarding alcoholism and memantine. See our terms and conditions for more information. However, memantine will not cure AD or prevent the loss of these abiliti… Namenda works on the brain differently than Aricept does. Memantine, commonly prescribed in the United States under the brand name Namenda, is for people with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. Aricept and Namenda belong to different drug classes. 2004 Feb;172(1):16-24. As Memantine is known to improve short term memory and concentration in Alzheimer’s sufferers, it follows there are potential uses for other diseases involving cognitive decline. Memantine and cholinesterase inhibitors, in fact, can be prescribed together, and studies have shown they may work in tandem to ease symptoms. Namenda may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide. Memantine works in a very different way to most existing drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s. Nagy J. Gedeon Richter Ltd, Pharmacological and Drug Safety Research, PO Box 27, Budapest 10, H-1475 Hungary. Nighttime can be especially difficult for someone with dementia (and for caregivers trying to keep that someone safe) and memantine’s effect on the brain is demonstrated to make nights more calm. Aricept is an oral medication taken once daily that stops the breakdown of acetylcholine, a brain chemical that helps nerve cells communicate with one another. Other treatments involve inhibiting an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase, which breaks down the brain neurotransmitter – acetylcholine. Memantine is an oral medication for treating patients with Alzheimer's disease. What does the science have to say about how it works and what it does? By 42 days, the study reported that, “It was particularly striking in the daily-living tests, of the patients considerable improvement achieved in the quality of performing tasks under Memantine treatment.”, Perhaps most significant of all is Memantine’s performance in late-stage Alzheimer’s disease, where other treatments are currently unavailable. Memantine, however, appears to work by protecting the brain’s nerve cells against glutamate, which is a chemical released in excess by cells damaged by Alzheimer’s or other neurological disorders. Glutamate is another chemical that helps to send messages between nerve cells in the brain. It is a useful anti-aging agent in general, providing improvements in memory, attention, reason and concentration. Memantine is also different from other prescription drugs used for the treatment of Alzheimer’s. It is also used “off-label” to treat dementia, ADHD, PTSD, and other psychiatric conditions. It's taken as a pill or syrup. Recent clinical trials have revealed its benefits as a Parkinsons disease treatment, and it is also believed to protect brain and nerve cells in people with alcohol dependence. There is rarely a problem with the structure or ‘wiring’ of the brain's 5-HT circuits. The other drugs work by combating the breakdown of a neurotransmitter known as acetylcholine. This product is not available at the movement. Memantine blocks NMDA receptors, and that’s why it … A neurotransmitter called glutamate helps this process by carrying the signals across cells, but patients with Alzheimer’s have too much glutamate, and the excess throws the process awry, damaging the cells, even killing them, and muddling the message. The following was published in IDrugs. However, when nerve cells are damaged by Alzheimer’s disease, too much glutamate is produced. Other treatments involve inhibiting an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase, which breaks down the brain neurotransmitter – acetylcholine. It works by regulating the activity of glutamate, a messenger chemical widely involved in brain functions — including learning and memory. Evidence for alcohol anti-craving properties of memantine. For mental performance, things like learning and remembering, it was the same: Subjects still got worse but at a slower rate. Epub 2003 Oct 3. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Other abilities important in daily life may also last longer. Holter SM, Danysz W, Spanagel R. Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Drug Abuse Group, Munich, Germany. This causes more damage to the nerve cells. It is thought that this may help to slow down the damage to brain cells affected by Alzheimer's disease. Acute effects of memantine in combination with alcohol in moderate drinkers. Available as pill to be taken daily, memantine enhances “neuron synaptic plasticity,” which is a technical way of saying that it improves communication between brain cells, making it easier for the brain to change and learn, improving a person’s ability to perform the normal daily tasks made too challenging by dementia’s impact on the brain. What Is Memantine and How Does It Work? Many of them are believed to be down to diet – food stuffs such as some artificial sweeteners, flavour enhancers (especially MSG) and even hydrolyzed vegetable proteins. Both types of drugs help manage symptoms but work in different ways. The dose of memantine used (4.8 mg/day) resulted in serum levels close to the therapeutic range in humans. Memantine helps avoid the aging effects of overexciting our brain receptors by regulating the activity of glutamate. But again, the benefit overall seems to be fairly modest. It is known to improve memory concentration, enhance vigilance, boost concentration and improve short term memory. Numerous studies have demonstrated its effectiveness for people with mid- to late-stage Alzheimer’s disease. 5-HT neurons can, and frequently do, however, suffer a deficit of the raw material from which neurons normally produce 5-HT: the essential amino acid tryptophan (Tryp). To my way of thinking, this is a sign that the process of excitotoxicity plays a role in the development of the disease, and thus methods such as Memantine's pharmacological action could be useful as a preventative too.Robert Mason PhD, Gibraltar. 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