Memantine decreases hippocampal glutamate levels: a magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.
Glutamate (Glu) is associated with excitotoxic cell damage. Memantine modulates the glutamate induced excitotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease (AD). No information is available as to the influence of memantine on in vivo brain glutamate levels. Hippocampal Glu levels were measured in cognitively impaired and normal individuals (n=10) before and after 6 months of memantine treatment, using three dimensional high spatial resolution (0.5 cm(3) voxels) proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3 T. These measurements were also repeated in a non-treated cognitively normal group (n=6). Treatment with memantine decreased Glu/Cr (creatine) ratio in the left hippocampal region. Memantine reduced hippocampal glutamate levels, which may be consistent with its anti-excitotoxic property.
Glodzik
Lidia
L
Center for Brain Health, Department of Psychiatry, New York University New York, NY 10016, USA. Lidia.Glodzik-Sobanska@nyumc.org
King
Kevin G
KG
Gonen
Oded
O
Liu
Songtao
S
De Santi
Susan
S
de Leon
Mony J
MJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000378:metabolism; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008559:Memantine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D008559:Memantine