Alzheimer Disease
Cholinesterase Inhibitors
Glutamic Acid
Memantine
N-Methylaspartate

Memantine

Memantine acts as an antagonist for the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subtype of the glutamate receptor. Memantine slows the neurotoxicity involved in Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Memantine is an uncompetitive, low-affinity, open-channel blocker that blocks the extrasynaptic NMDA receptor (NMDAR) that selectively enters the receptor-associated ion channel during its open state. As a result, the drug prevents the disruption of normal synaptic transmission, safeguarding against further damage caused by excitotoxicity-induced neuronal cell death. This is why memantine is commonly used in combination with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer dementia, which is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Memantine blocks the NMDAR subtype of glutamate receptors, preventing the overactivation of glutamine receptors and facilitating normal activity. The drug’s antagonistic effects counteract an excessively active glutaminergic system in the central nervous system, believed to contribute to the neurotoxicity observed in Alzheimer disease. This activity reviews the pharmacology, indications, adverse effects, drug interactions, and contraindications of memantine, highlighting the collaborative efforts of interprofessional healthcare teams in treating patients with dementia.

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