SynthesisPloS one2015
Memantine monotherapy for Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 114 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
114 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 270 citations in OpenAlex.
- The role of glutamate receptors in the regulation of the tumor microenvironment.Frontiers in immunology · 2023Pooled it
- Memantine for dementia.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2019Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Protection against Brain Atrophy by Anti-dementia Medication in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease: Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trials.The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology · 2015Pooled it
- Efficacy and safety of the novel GlyT1 inhibitor BI 425809 in Alzheimer's dementia: a randomized controlled trial.Alzheimer's research & therapy · 2023Trial
- Memantine for the patients with mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease: a pharmacological fMRI study.BMC neurology · 2022Trial
- Trial
- Memantine: updates from the past decade and implications for future novel therapeutic applications.Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996) · 2026Review
- The NMDAR/TRPM4 death complex is a major promoter of disease progression in the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.Molecular psychiatry · 2026Article
- Exploring Adjunctive Novel Therapeutic Approach of KarXT (Xanomeline-Trospium Chloride) for Managing Psychotic Symptoms in Patients With Schizophrenia and Alzheimer's Disease.Brain and behavior · 2026Review
- Plant-based flavonoids and their nanoparticles: Latest arsenal against Alzheimer's disease.Drug delivery and translational research · 2025Review
- A meta-analysis update evaluating the treatment effects of donepezil alone versus donepezil combined with memantine for Alzheimer's disease.IBRO neuroscience reports · 2025Review
- Targeting Amyloid-β Proteins as Potential Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutics: Anti-Amyloid Drug Discovery, Emerging Therapeutics, Clinical Trials and Implications for Public Health.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Calcium signaling hypothesis: A non-negligible pathogenesis in Alzheimer's disease.Journal of advanced research · 2025Review
- Baicalin-Myricetin-Coated Selenium Nanoparticles Mitigate Pathology in an Aβ1-42 Mice Model of Alzheimer's Disease.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Review
- Deciphering the Structural Biology of GFAP: Connotations of Its Potency in Presaging the Diagnosis for Traumatic Brain Injury and AD.Neurology international · 2025Review
- Advancing Care in Alzheimer's Disease: Current Treatments and Their Impact on Quality of Life.Cureus · 2025Review
- Combinatorial targeting of NMDARs and 5-HTAlzheimer's research & therapy · 2025Article
54 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundWe performed an updated meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials testing memantine monotherapy for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).
methodsThe meta-analysis included randomized controlled trials of memantine monotherapy for AD, omitting those in which patients were also administered a cholinesterase inhibitor. Cognitive function, activities of daily living, behavioral disturbances, global function, stage of dementia, drug discontinuation rate, and individual side effects were compared between memantine monotherapy and placebo groups. The primary outcomes were cognitive function and behavioral disturbances; the others were secondary outcomes.
resultsNine studies including 2433 patients that met the study's inclusion criteria were identified. Memantine monotherapy significantly improved cognitive function [standardized mean difference (SMD)=-0.27, 95% confidence interval (CI)=-0.39 to -0.14, p=0.0001], behavioral disturbances (SMD=-0.12, 95% CI=-0.22 to -0.01, p=0.03), activities of daily living (SMD=-0.09, 95% CI=-0.19 to -0.00, p=0.05), global function assessment (SMD=-0.18, 95% CI=-0.27 to -0.09, p=0.0001), and stage of dementia (SMD=-0.23, 95% CI=-0.33 to -0.12, p=0.0001) scores. Memantine was superior to placebo in terms of discontinuation because of inefficacy [risk ratio (RR)=0.36, 95% CI=0.17¬ to 0.74, p=0.006, number needed to harm (NNH)=non significant]. Moreover, memantine was associated with less agitation compared with placebo (RR=0.68, 95% CI=0.49 to 0.94, p=0.02, NNH=non significant). There were no significant differences in the rate of discontinuation because of all causes, all adverse events, and individual side effects other than agitation between the memantine monotherapy and placebo groups.
conclusionsMemantine monotherapy improved cognition, behavior, activities of daily living, global function, and stage of dementia and was well-tolerated by AD patients. However, the effect size in terms of efficacy outcomes was small and thus there is limited evidence of clinical benefit.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.