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There is growing interest in the role of the glutamatergic system both in depression and as a novel target for treatments. Preclinical studies suggested that the non-competitive N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist memantine might have antidepressant properties, but a randomised controlled trial failed to support this. A healthy volunteer model of emotional processing was used to assess the neuropsychological profile of action of memantine. Healthy volunteers (n=32) were randomised to receive a single dose of memantine (10 mg) or placebo, and subsequently completed a battery of tasks measuring emotional processing, including facial expression recognition, emotional memory, dot-probe and emotion-potentiated startle tasks, as well as working and verbal memory. Memantine treated volunteers showed an increased emotion-potentiated startle, and a reduced bias for negative items in emotional recognition memory. There were no effects of the drug on any other aspect of emotional or non-emotional information processing. These results suggest that a single dose of memantine produces an early anxiogenic response in the emotion-potentiated startle similar to that seen following a single dose of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, citalopram. However, the overall profile of effects is more limited than that which might be expected in response to a conventional antidepressant.

Original publication

DOI

10.1177/0269881112446535

Type

Journal article

Journal

J Psychopharmacol

Publication Date

11/2012

Volume

26

Pages

1417 - 1423

Keywords

Adolescent, Adult, Antidepressive Agents, Citalopram, Double-Blind Method, Emotions, Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists, Humans, Male, Memantine, Memory, Short-Term, Neuropsychological Tests, Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate, Reflex, Startle, Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors, Young Adult