Description
Memantine is an inhibitor of NMDA receptors that exhibits neuroprotective and cognition enhancing activities and is clinically used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. Memantine also inhibits 5-HT3 receptors and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and activates D2 receptors. Memantine improves spatial learning and memory impairments in various animal models and clinical settings. Additionally, memantine stimulates dendritic spine maturation and synapse formation in vivo.
References
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Wei H, Dobkin C, Sheikh AM, et al. The therapeutic effect of memantine through the stimulation of synapse formation and dendritic spine maturation in autism and fragile X syndrome. PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e36981. PMID: 22615862.
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Aracava Y, Pereira EF, Maelicke A, et al. Memantine blocks alpha7* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors more potently than n-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in rat hippocampal neurons. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2005 Mar;312(3):1195-205. PMID: 15522999.
Rammes G, Rupprecht R, Ferrari U, et al. The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor channel blockers memantine, MRZ 2/579 and other amino-alkyl-cyclohexanes antagonise 5-HT(3) receptor currents in cultured HEK-293 and N1E-115 cell systems in a non-competitive manner. Neurosci Lett. 2001 Jun 22;306(1-2):81-4. PMID: 11403963.
