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Memantine augmentation of dopaminergic drugs?

Posted by Jean Paul on June 18, 2001, at 4:39:13

In reply to Re: Jean Paul, Shrink, Shelli, Vince, posted by AndrewB on June 18, 2001, at 3:31:34

http://views.vcu.edu/cpdd/98pdf/collins,e.pdf

--------------------------------------------------

THE NMDA ANTAGONIST, MEMANTINE, POTENTIATES SOME SUBJECTIVE EFFECTS OF COCAINE IN HUMANS

E. D. Collins, A. S. Ward, D. M. McDowell, R. W. Foltin, and M. W. Fischman

New York State Psychiatric Institute and College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY

Eight male frequent cocaine smokers participated in a 44- to 47- day inpatient and outpatient study to assess the effects of the noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist, memantine, on cocaine self-administration, subjective effects, and psychomotor performance. Participants were maintained on memantine, 20
mg daily, and placebo, for 7 to 10 days prior to laboratory testing, using a double-blind crossover design. Under each medication condition, participants smoked each of four doses of cocaine base (0, 12, 25, and 50 mg), and were
subsequently given five opportunities, fourteen minutes apart, to self-administer that dose of cocaine or receive a merchandise voucher ($5.00). Each cocaine dose was tested twice under each medication condition, and the order of medication condition and cocaine dose was systematically varied. Vital signs were recorded every two minutes, and subjective effects were assessed at baseline and after each cocaine or voucher delivery. In addition, psychomotor performance was assessed before and after each self-administration session. Memantine maintenance was not associated with changes in psychomotor performance or the number of cocaine doses chosen each session. Memantine maintenance was, however, associated with significant increases in some subjective effects of cocaine: ratings of "good drug effect," "high," "potency," "quality," and street value were all greater under memantine
compared with placebo. These data suggest that NMDA antagonists may have limited usefulness as treatment medications for cocaine abuse.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: Supported by NIDA grants DA-10755 and DA-00317.

> Hello. I will reply to each poster's question(s) in order.
>
> Jean Paul,
>
> Memantine in Argentina??? I thought it was sold commercially only in Germany. Could you please tell me the price it sells for in Argentina, it would mean so much to me.
>
> I take 30mg. of memantine a day. That actually may be more than you need, given the case study reports I have read. For more info. on indiv. experiences with memantine for tics and the reasonings of why it works go to the US patent database at; http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html. Look at patent # 6,057,373.
>
> Take memantine with meals. Start with 5mg., then try 10mg. the next day and 20 the next, given no side effects. Side effects are rare. I experienced the mildest 'spaciness' at first on it.
> ----------------
> Shrink,
>
> Selegine will not make you feel like an emotional zombie. When it works, it will help restore energy and vitality and attention. Main side effect for some is anxiety/agitation.
>
> Selegiline in low doses does not treat dysthymia. That is, it will not improve your mood. There is some evidence and good theory behind the idea though that while selegiline and L-phenyalanine by themselves won't improve mood, the combination can be very effective. Dosage of l-phenylalanine (or DL-phenylalanine is 1 th 6 grams a day. Take on an empty stomach 1/2 hour b-4 mealtime, if I remember right. Can cause agitation. It didn't do anything for me.
>
> A combo more likely to work for dysthymia would be amisulpride and selegiline.
>
> Again, recommended dosage of selegiline is 2.5 to 10mg./day. Use lowest effective dose and combine with 1000mg. of NAC/day in three divided doses.
>
> BTW: Pemoline is loosely related to coaine. As I remember, it is a dopamine reuptake inhibtor and/or dopamine releasing agent. Strictly dopaminergic in action.
> -----------------
> Shelli,
>
> Lots of info. out there on the net on selegiline and increased production of the antioxidant SOD. Increased SOD is good in general, except that SOD can create free radicals of its own which can be mopped up efectively by NAC. A good info. source on NAC and antioxidants in general is the DAAIR website: http://www.daair.org/DAAIR/MEMBINFO.NSF
> ------------
> Vince,
>
> Memantine, for me at least, is effective for amphetamine tolerance. Whereas before it would poop out ofter about 3 days, leaving me wrung out and irritable, it now gives me a smooth effect (one dosage of 40mg. lasts about 12hours), that I can take every day- giving me energy, concentration, motivation and social confidence.
>
> I've waited to log this post because I was hoping to learn exactly what mechanisms allowed memantine to work this way. But, at this point, at least, I will have to say that it is a bit of a mystery. Presumable, amphetamine induces hyperglutaminergic activity, which incuces the tolerance, which the memantne is able to prevent by limiting glutaminergic activity to within physiologically safe bounds.
>
> Also memantine is seemingly effective for tardive dyskinsia (see patent referred to above). Also effective as a adjunct mood stabilizer to valporate acid (sp?) and possibly lamotrigine.
> It is speculated to be effective for OCD disorders. Also I can't help but wonder if it won't prevent , at least in some , instances, of AD poop out.
>
> BTW: I take, 5mg/day selegiline, 40mg/day adderall, 30mg./day memantine, 4g.day klonopin at night and 50mg./day of amisulpride.
>
> AndrewB


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poster:Jean Paul thread:66051
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010618/msgs/66943.html