Trial reportInternational journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics2026
Memantine for Prevention of Cognitive Late Effects in Children and Adolescents Receiving Radiation Therapy for Brain Tumors: A Randomized, Controlled, Pilot Trial.
Trial report in International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Memantine to preserve memory and neurocognition following craniospinal irradiation (MEMENTO): a phase 3 randomized controlled trial.BMC cancer · 2026Trial
- Lithium for Radiation-Induced Damage in Pediatric Brain Tumors: Preclinical Evidence and Clinical Perspectives.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Glioma: Mechanisms, Assessment, and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies.Cancers · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
purposeChildren receiving irradiation for brain tumors are at significant risk for cognitive deficits that notably impact quality of life. This is the first randomized, controlled investigation of the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of memantine (an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist) for reducing cognitive late effects in children and adolescents undergoing radiation therapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: In a randomized, double-blind, controlled, pilot trial, children and adolescents took memantine (20 mg/d) or placebo for 12 weeks. Adherence was assessed using pill counts, and side effects were monitored using a structured interview. At baseline, 6 weeks (end of radiation therapy), 12 weeks (end of medication), and 1 year, participants completed cognitive assessments.
resultsThirty patients (age, 11.93 ± 2.87 years; 47% male) were included; memantine (n = 16) and placebo (n = 14) groups did not differ in age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, or baseline intelligence quotient (P > .26). Study participation (71%) and medication adherence (88% completed 12 weeks; 97% of medication taken) were high. Side effects were minimal with no difference between memantine and placebo groups in increase in severity from baseline to any medication week (P > .23). At 12 weeks, effect sizes (ESs) indicate the memantine group had better processing speed (Cogstate Identification, ES = .61), academic fluency (Woodcock-Johnson IV Reading Fluency, ES = .45; Math Fluency, ES = .81), and fatigue (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory [PedsQL] Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, ES = .72), with some benefits persisting 1 year post treatment (eg, Woodcock-Johnson IV Reading Fluency ES = .65; Math Fluency ES = .71).
conclusionsStudy findings from this randomized, controlled trial indicate memantine used as a neuroprotectant during irradiation for children and adolescents with brain tumors is feasible and acceptable, with preliminary evidence for better cognitive outcomes that requires validation in a larger trial.
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.