A systematic review of off-label uses of memantine for psychiatric disorders

Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2008 Aug 1;32(6):1362-74. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2008.01.008. Epub 2008 Jan 17.

Abstract

Recent data points to glutamatergic dysfunction in mood disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia. Memantine, a drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease that acts at the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor, has been used off-label for various psychiatric disorders. Although promising, the available data for the use of memantine in these disorders is limited. Given this data, the routine use of memantine for depression, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance abuse, pervasive developmental disorders, bipolar disorder, and binge eating disorder cannot be recommended at this time.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Anxiety / drug therapy
  • Bipolar Disorder / drug therapy
  • Bulimia Nervosa / drug therapy
  • Child
  • Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / drug therapy
  • Depression / drug therapy
  • Dopamine Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Memantine / therapeutic use*
  • Mental Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / drug therapy
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy
  • Substance-Related Disorders / drug therapy

Substances

  • Dopamine Agents
  • Memantine