The effect of memantine in adult patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

BACKGROUND: Hyperactivity disorder and attention deficit are common neurological disorders in children and adolescents. The symptoms of hyperactivity are decreased in adults, and attention deficit is more noticeable. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of memantine on adult patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a double-blind clinical trial study, 40 patients aged 18 to 45 years with ADHD were selected on the basis on the Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria, and randomly assigned memantine or placebo. Before starting the treatment, Conners' screening questionnaire was completed for each patient, and the subjects were entered the study after acquiring minimum acceptable score in the questionnaire.

RESULTS: The mean age of patients who were receiving memantine and placebo was about 34.7 ± 4.48 and 31.5 ± 7.4 years, respectively. The results have shown a significant difference in the behavior and attention deficit between the two groups treated with memantine and placebo during 6 weeks (p < 0.001). Also, there was a significant difference in the third and sixth weeks between treatment groups in hyperactivity and attention deficit index (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated that memantine was effective in reducing symptoms of Inattention/Memory Problems, Hyperactivity/Restlessness, Impulsivity/Emotional Lability.