Namenda for Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is an illness that affects the nervous system. It results from the continual loss of cells in the brain that produce dopamine, a chemical that helps the body function. Without it, Parkinson's sufferers experience tremors in the limbs, significantly slowed movement and even issues with balance and coordination. There is no cure for Parkinson's. However, an Alzheimer's drug, Namenda (memantine HCI), has been studied as a treatment for a lesser known Parkinson's symptom: dementia.

Glutamate

• Glutamate is a neurotransmitter involved in many of the body's daily functions. However, left unchecked, glutamate causes neurons to die. The absence of these neurons is thought to lead to dementia and other memory issues key to both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

Namenda's Function

• Namenda blocks the excess production of glutamate, slowing the destruction of neurons. When glutamate is regulated, it is not toxic to neurons.

Theory

• Namenda has been proven to have a positive effect on Alzheimer's patients by slowing the disease's progression and preserving memory and learning capabilities. Preliminary results have shown that the treatment most likely will yield similar results in Parkinson's patients.

Warning

• Namenda for Parkinson's is still in the testing stages and should not be considered a safe treatment until it is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Considerations

• Glutamate is but one neurotransmitter behind Parkinson's disease. The culprit thought to be behind the motor symptoms is dopamine. Parkinson's patients have a lower amount of the chemical than individuals with a normal brain. The transmitter starts the chemical processes needed for the body to make a movement. A lack of this chemical appears to be the cause for so many motor problems in Parkinson's patients.