Can memantine treat the effects of TBI? Is it safe for patients to take memantine for TBI? While there are fewer studies on the benefits of memantine for TBI than other medications, some of the early results are promising.
However, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of memantine for TBI, as the research results continue to be mixed. This article will discuss memantine’s neuroprotective properties, its side effects, and the current state of its development towards use for TBI.
What is Memantine
Memantine, also known as Namenda, is a drug used to treat the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. It does not cure these disorders, but it can slow progression and improve certain cognitive skills such as memory and awareness.
Memantine belongs to a class of medications called NMDA receptor antagonists. These drugs work by decreasing abnormal activity in the brain. Specifically, memantine blocks the action of glutamate, a chemical linked to symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
Glutamate is a powerful neurotransmitter that excites neurons and helps them send signals between each other. In a healthy brain, it plays a crucial role in learning and memory.
However, too much glutamate in the brain can make the neurons over-excited, which eventually leads to cell death. This process, known as excitotoxicity, is one of the main causes of brain cell deterioration in Alzheimer’s patients. Excitotoxicity also occurs after a traumatic brain injury.
Excitotoxicity After Brain Injury
The initial impact that causes a brain injury is not usually the source of the most debilitating symptoms after TBI. It is the cascade of harmful chemical processes in the brain following the TBI that lead to these symptoms. It’s these secondary injuries that result in most of the problems associated with brain injury. One of these harmful biochemical processes following a TBI is an imbalance of glutamate.
Normally, there is a healthy balance between glutamate – which excites nerve cells – and GABA, which inhibits them. This keeps brain cells from burning out. After a TBI, however, the brain often releases more glutamate and less GABA, resulting in excitotoxicity. Researchers believe this is a common source of brain damage after a head injury.
Therefore, if that process could be halted before too many cells die, it could speed up TBI recovery and possibly prevent injuries from worsening. That is why memantine is being investigated.
Benefits of Memantine for TBI
Research studies are beginning to demonstrate that memantine may reduce neuronal damage in patients with mild traumatic brain injury. Memantine appears to be effective at blocking the activity of glutamate in the brain, thus preventing the neurons from becoming over-excited. Memantine may help improve outcomes in patients with multiple mild TBIs, though research is ongoing.
Side Effects of Memantine
Some of the side effects commonly associated with memantine for TBI include:
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Headache
- Hypertension
- Fainting
- Fatigue
- Seizures
Memantine can also interact with drugs that are similar to it, such as amantadine or ketamine. Therefore, be careful not to take these medications in combination. It is best to have a Neurologist who can advise you before starting memantine to make sure it is suitable for you and that none of your other medications will interact.
Bottom Line: Should You Try Memantine for TBI?
Memantine appears to have neuroprotective properties and may help prevent some brain injury patients from deteriorating. However, studies showing positive results are limited in scope and cannot definitively conclude it’s effectiveness in general cases.
Although studies with mice seem to suggest memantine may help prevent a TBI from getting worse, it is not clear if it can help patients improve their cognitive function later on.
Therefore, it is most likely your neurologist will suggest other medications, such as Ritalin for your needs
As always, you and your doctor are the best ones to make this decision. But we hope this article has answered some of your questions surrounding memantine and TBI. Good luck!
