Does memantine slow down dementia?
Does memantine slow down dementia?
Medications containing the drug memantine are supposed to help people who have Alzheimer’s disease remember things and better manage their daily tasks. Studies show that memantine can somewhat delay the worsening of cognitive (mental) performance. Other abilities important in daily life may also last longer.
How long can you stay on memantine?
The drug memantine is a safe and effective therapy that helps patients suffering from moderate to severe Alzheimer disease for up to a year. However, evidence that the drug might slow the underlying pathology is weak.
Can memantine make Alzheimers worse?
However, the worsening of psychotic symptoms in patients with Lewy body dementia (LBD) treated with memantine has been recently reported. We describe three patients with probable Alzheimer’s disease who developed worsening or de novo visual hallucinations and agitation after memantine treatment.
What happens when memantine stops working?
Abstract. Although memantine is widely used and generally considered safe, an abrupt cessation of memantine may result in discontinuation syndrome that can be distressing and result in decline of natural course. We report two patients who developed significant behavior disturbance after abrupt cessation of memantine.
What is the new drug for dementia?
Aducanumab (Aduhelm™) has received accelerated approval as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is the first FDA-approved therapy to address the underlying biology of Alzheimer’s disease.
How does memantine make you feel?
It works by decreasing abnormal activity in the brain. Memantine may improve the ability to think and remember or may slow the loss of these abilities in people who have AD.
What does memantine do to the brain?
Memantine is in a class of medications called NMDA receptor antagonists. It works by decreasing abnormal activity in the brain. Memantine may improve the ability to think and remember or may slow the loss of these abilities in people who have AD.