title: The Effect of Memantine on Cognitive Function and Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Memantine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the effect of memantine on patients with mild-to-moderate AD is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a post hoc analysis of a double-blind clinical trial. Donepezil was used as the standard control treatment. Outcomes included score changes from baseline to week 24 on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-cog), a modified 20-item Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL), the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) as well as the score of the Clinician's Interview-Based Impression of Change plus Caregiver Input (CIBIC-Plus).
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred sixty-seven AD patients with an MMSE score of 10-24 were analyzed. No significant differences in the score changes from baseline to week 24 on all outcomes or the four subscales of the ADAS-cog were observed between the two treatment groups. Donepezil resulted in an improved score for naming ability on the ADAS-cog compared to memantine (p = 0.036), whereas memantine more effectively reduced agitation as measured by the NPI compared to donepezil (p = 0.039).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support the efficacy of memantine for the treatment of mild-to-moderate AD, especially in patients with agitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Key Laboratory of Post-Traumatic Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in the Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of the Nervous System, and Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Changjuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Hongjian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Fu-Dong
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000523:psychology*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077265:Donepezil; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007189:Indans / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008559:Memantine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D007189:Indans; D010880:Piperidines; D000077265:Donepezil; D008559:Memantine