Memantine to Reduce Neurocognitive Deficits Following Unilateral ECT for the Treatment of a Major Depression

Depressive Disorder, Major Clinical Trial

Official title: Memantine as an Adjunctive Agent to Reduce Neurocognitive Deficits Following Unilateral ECT for the Treatment of a Severe Major Depressive Episode

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether taking the medication memantine reduces impairment of memory and attention associated with electroconvulsive therapy.

Clinical Trial Description

The primary objective of this study is to determine whether the novel NMDA antagonist memantine, FDA approved for use in moderate to severe alzheimers dementia, may reduce the neurocognitive deficits associated with right unilateral ECT treatments in patients receiving ECT for a severe and relatively refractory Major Depressive episode.

Our hypothesis is that the use of an NMDA antagonist would reduce intracellular calcium levels, and glutamatergic stimulation during ECT. This reduction in excitatory stimulation during ECT would reduce hippocampal and prefrontal neuronal endangerment and dysfunction, thereby reducing cognitive impairment associated with right unilateral ECT treatments. We also hypothesize that ACTH and cortisol levels will correlate with neurocognitive impairment in placebo treated subjects, but not in the memantine treated individuals. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Depressive Disorder
• Depressive Disorder, Major

• NCT number: NCT00186498
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Stanford University
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: February 2004
• Completion date: February 2008