Problems ensue from discontinuing memantine in residents with AD.(What's New in Research)

Within a few months of discontinuing memantine, nursing home residents with Alzheimer's disease (AD) experienced significant worsening of dementia-associated symptoms and loss of body weight, according to the results of a retrospective chart review. Cognition and mood were particularly affected, with significant deterioration within a few months of memantine withdrawal.

The study is the first to investigate the potential impact of memantine discontinuation in a retrospective, naturalistic setting of nursing home residents with AD. A key issue of interest to the investigators was the discontinuation of memantine not only because of efficacy or tolerability issues, but also for nonmedical reasons relating to formulary decisions or requests by family members that were "not informed by explicit medical …