Posted by SLS on May 12, 2009, at 6:28:18
In reply to memantine for anhedonia?, posted by g_g_g_unit on May 12, 2009, at 2:51:25
> i have a concern which was sparked by a meeting with my GP today, in which i informed him that i was trialing Memantine. he said that i did not seem to present the characteristics of glutamate overactivity
How does he determine this?
> (which would conventionally call for him to prescribe Neurontin);
Or, and especially, Lamictal.
> if anything, given my persistent anhedonia, faltering memory, etc. he thought it might be a case of the opposite.
Are you bipolar?
I am not sure that memantine by itself is helpful for anhedonia. I know that lamotrigine is. As I am now taking memantine for nearly 4 weeks, I believe that I am benefiting from it, but anhedonia is not among the symptoms that it is helping with. I have more energy and motivation, and some improvement in cognitive impairment.
I am trying to sell the idea to my doctor that a three-pronged attack against hyperglutamatergic activity would include:
1. lamotrigine: GLU release inhibition
2. memantine: GLU (NMDA) receptor antagonism
3. topiramate: GLU (AMPA/kainite) receptor antagonism.Each drug operates on glutamatergic neurotransmission through distinctly different mechanisms.
By the way, how does gabapentin act as an antiglutamatergic?
Thanks.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:895324
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/neuro/20090129/msgs/895331.html