[Efficacy and safety of memantine in dementia with Lewy bodies]

Abstract

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a progressive disease of the nervous system manifested with dementia, parkinsonism, psychotic and autonomic disturbances. To estimate efficacy and safety of memantine in patients with clinically diagnosed DLB (according to criteria of McKeith et al., 1999), an open controlled 16-week trial was carried out in 23 patients, mean age 69,2+/-5,9 years. Patients were divided into 2 groups: 14 patients who received memantine in dosage 20 mg/d and 9 patients of a control group. A battery of neuropsychological tests, clinical assessment using fluctuation scales, scales for assessment of behavioral and psychotic disturbances, the General Clinical Impression scale were used. Memantine significantly improved cognitive dysfunction throughout the study (the mean MMSE scorer were increased by 1,5 points compared to the baseline) especially due to the improvement of attention and executive functions. The reduction of fluctuations of mental status, aggressiveness, aspontaneity, disinhibition was also observed. There were no significant changes of Parkinsonian and psychotic symptoms severity. Good tolerability of memantine is noted: only 2 patients were withdrawn from the study because of episodes of confusion on the titration phase of the trial.