title: Memantine fails to facilitate partial cigarette deprivation in smokers--no role of Memantine in the treatment of nicotine dependency?
abstract: The efficacy of Memantine in the treatment of nicotine dependency in humans remained to be evaluated. The aims of our pilot study were to investigate (1) the effectiveness of Memantine in facilitating smoking reduction and (2) the influence of Memantine on the perception of nicotine. In order to achieve these aims we conducted a placebo controlled double-blind parallel group study in smokers (n = 20 per group). Before the beginning of the treatment-phase (10/20 mg Memantine per day) all participants were instructed to reduce smoking (partial deprivation). Before and during partial deprivation we registered the daily cigarette consumption and craving estimates. Following nasal stimulation with nicotine enantiomers hedonic and intensity estimates and the discrimination ability were assessed. Memantine failed to facilitate smoking reduction and did not influence the perception of nicotine with the exception of a weak reduction of olfactory intensity estimates reaching statistical significance for one nicotine enantiomer only.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. norbert.thuerauf@rzmail.uni-erlangen.de
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thuerauf
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lunkenheimer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lunkenheimer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sperling
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bleich
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlabeck
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wiltfang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008559:Memantine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000009:adverse effects; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010919:Placebos; D012201:Reward; D012903:Smell / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D015259:Dopamine Agents; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D010919:Placebos; D009538:Nicotine; D008559:Memantine