Memantine Hydrochloride for Treatment of Cognitive Dysfunction Due to Traumatic Brain Injury

Posttraumatic consequences are common causes of disability and long-term morbidity. They include cognitive dysfunction, seizures, headache, dizziness, fatigue, sensory deficits, neurodegeneration and psychiatric disorders (e.g. posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, etc). Diffuse axonal injury and disruption of normal neuronal function are the most common and important pathologic features of traumatic primary closed head injury. depression, anxiety, etc). Excitotoxicity and apoptosis caused by activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors, are two main suggested mechanisms of traumatic neuronal cell death and posttraumtic neurologic adverse consequences. Experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated that memantine hydrochloride, NMDA-type glutamate receptor antagonist, could have beneficial effect in treatment of posttraumatic cognitive dysfunction. Memantine may contribute to cognitive improvements in TBI by decreasing the synaptic 'noise' resulting from excessive NMDA receptor activation, inhibition of β-amyloid mediated toxicity and readjustment of the balance between inhibition and excitation on neuronal networks in the central nervous system (CNS).