Effects of Memantine on Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers of Neurofibrillary Pathology

• Published in: Journal of Alzheimer's disease Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 509 - 513
• Main Authors: Glodzik, Lidia, De Santi, Susan, Rich, Kenneth E., Brys, Miroslaw, Pirraglia, Elizabeth, Mistur, Rachel, Switalski, Remigiusz, Mosconi, Lisa, Sadowski, Martin, Zetterberg, Henrik, Blennow, Kaj, de Leon, Mony J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.01.2009
• Subjects: Aged; Alzheimer Disease - cerebrospinal fluid; Alzheimer Disease - drug therapy; Alzheimer Disease - pathology; Antiparkinson Agents - pharmacology; Antiparkinson Agents - therapeutic use; Biomarkers - cerebrospinal fluid; Brain - pathology; Cognition Disorders - diagnosis; Cognition Disorders - drug therapy; Cognition Disorders - pathology; Female; Humans; Male; Memantine - pharmacology; Memantine - therapeutic use; Neurofibrillary Tangles - pathology; Neuropsychological Tests; Phosphorylation - drug effects; Psychiatry; Psykiatri; Severity of Illness Index; Spinal Puncture; tau Proteins - metabolism; total tau; memantine; Alzheimer's disease; biomarkers; cerebrospinal fluid; phosphorylated tau
• ISSN: 1387-2877; 1875-8908; 1875-8908
• DOI: 10.3233/JAD-2009-1183

Previous studies showed that memantine inhibits tau hyperphosphorylation in vitro. In this study, phosphorylated tau (P-tau) and total tau (T-tau) were measured before and after 6 month treatment with memantine in 12 subjects ranging from normal cognition with subjective memory complaints, through mild cognitive impairment to mild Alzheimer's disease. Thirteen non-treated individuals served as controls. Treatment was associated with a reduction of P-tau in subjects with normal cognition. No treatment effects were seen among impaired individuals, suggesting that longer treatment time may be necessary to achieve biomarker effect in this group.