Memantine is a clinically useful drug in many neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's
disease. The principal mechanism of action of memantine is believed to be the blockade of
current flow through channels of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors—a glutamate
receptor subfamily broadly involved in brain function. Surprisingly, other drugs that block
NMDA receptor channels, such as ketamine, exhibit serious deleterious effects. The unusual
therapeutic utility of memantine probably results from inhibitory mechanisms shared with …