title: Off-label use of memantine as adjunctive treatment in schizophrenia: a retrospective case series study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Memantine, an uncompetitive N-methyl D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) open-channel blocker holds great promise for its potential clinical effectiveness as add-on therapy to on-going treatment with antipsychotics.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report here the results of a chart review-based retrospective case series study that examined the effectiveness of off-label use of memantine in patients with schizophrenia when used as adjunctive therapy to standard neuroleptic therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  17 of the 26 patients, whose case files were reviewed using a study-specific proforma showed clinical improvement in positive and/or negative psychopathology as well as in cognitive and/or functional domains. The doses of on-going antipsychotic medications could be reduced in a sizeable number of responders. None of the subjects reported serious adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Memantine holds great promise as adjunctive therapy for treatment of schizophrenia. Randomized controlled trials, wherein memantine is administered at adequate doses for an adequate period of time to ongoing antipsychotic treatment are required to confirm its efficacy in alleviating symptoms of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Multimodal Brain Image Analysis Laboratory (MBIAL) NIMHANS, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: John
authors.affiliation: Multimodal Brain Image Analysis Laboratory (MBIAL) NIMHANS, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lukose
authors.affiliation: Multimodal Brain Image Analysis Laboratory (MBIAL) NIMHANS, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manjunath
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008559:Memantine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015259:Dopamine Agents; D008559:Memantine