Namenda Hyperactivity Side Effects

The neurological disorder known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is normally treated with a combination of Ritalin and psychological therapy. The Alzheimer's drug called Namenda is currently being looked at as an alternative medication because of the way that it affects the human brain.

History

• The medicine known as Memantine was first created in 1968 by Eli Lilly and Company. The formula was licensed out to Forest Laboratories in the early 1990's. The Food and Drug Administration then approved Memantine for public use in 1993 and Forest Laboratories began selling it under the name Namenda. A clinical trial began in June of 2008 by the Massachusetts General Hospital to study what affect Namenda has on individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The results of that study have not yet been released.

Function

• Namenda is prescribed to reduce the symptoms of patients with severe cases of Alzheimer's disease. While it does not cure the disease, a study released by the New England Journal of Medicine in 2003 showed that it did decrease the speed at which the disease advances and that patients taking the medication were more coherent than normal.

Features

• Namenda is an oral medication taken in pill form. It's primary function is to work as an anesthetic on areas of the brain and is known officially as an "N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor antagonist." The main reason that it is currently being looked at as a treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is because it is not a stimulant like Ritalin or other types of prescription medication.

Effects

• Almost all of the other types of medication prescribed for Alzheimer's disease work by preventing the enzyme called Acetylcholinesterase from being released in the body. However Namenda works differently by blocking the receptor in the brain that produces a separate enzyme called Glutamate, which is currently considered a major contributor to what causes Alzheimer's disease.

Considerations

• Namenda is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the purpose of treating or curing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and so far there have been no published results of the actual effects. When first taking Namenda a patient can experience increased confusion for a few days until the doctor and patient find the correct dosage to take. The most common side effects of Namenda are headaches, constipation and dizziness.