title: Memantine and functional communication in Alzheimer's disease: results of a 12-week, international, randomized clinical trial.
abstract: Post hoc analyses suggest that memantine treatment may provide communication-related benefits in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this 12-week, international, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of memantine (10 mg bid), the functional communication abilities of patients with AD (MMSE range: 10-19) were assessed using the Functional Linguistic Communication Inventory (FLCI; primary measure). Two combined subscales (Social Communication and Communication of Basic Needs) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Functional Assessment of Communication Skills for Adults (ASHA FACS; secondary measure) were administered to caregivers. Treatment-emergent adverse events were also recorded. After 12 weeks, memantine-treated patients (n = 133) demonstrated a non-significant improvement on the FLCI (placebo: -0.6; memantine: 0.7; p = 0.070, LOCF) and a significant improvement on the ASHA FACS (placebo: -5.3; memantine: 0.5; p = 0.022), compared with placebo-treated patients (n = 124). Memantine had a low incidence of adverse events. In patients with moderate AD, memantine treatment improved functional communication, as recognized by caregivers.
authors.affiliation: Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2536, USA. saxtonja@upmc.edu
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saxton
authors.forename: Robert K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Hofbauer
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Woodward
authors.forename: Nigel L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Potocnik
authors.forename: Hai-An
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Vojislav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pejović
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Perhach
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D008559:Memantine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
chemical_list: D008559:Memantine