Memantine is an NMDA receptor antagonist drug which helps prevent excitotoxicity in patients with Alzheimer's.
Memantine is a glutamatergic antagonist at NMDA receptors. This action allows to impede an influx of Ca2+, halting excitotoxicity to neurons. This drug is low affinity and short-acting with a modest effect.
By antagonizing NMDA receptors, excitotoxicity is prevented in neurons. Excitotoxicity is mediated by Ca2+ which activates intracellular enzymes, leading to cell destruction.
An adverse effect of treatment with memantine is confusion in patients.
Patients taking memantine can suffer from hallucinations.
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