A Trial of Memantine as Symptomatic Treatment for Early Huntington Disease
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2012-11-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Huntington disease is characterized by difficulties in movement and thinking. Psychological
disturbances including irritability, aggression, loss of interest, depressed mood, obsessions
and compulsions, also represent common symptoms of HD. These symptoms are distressing both
for HD patients and their caregivers, contribute to the loss of ability to carry out
activities of daily living, and present a major treatment challenge for physicians. The goal
of this study is to determine the effect of memantine on movement, thinking and emotional
difficulties in HD patients. Memantine is a medication originally approved for the treatment
of aggression and agitation in patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease (AD),
which has also recently been shown to improve the behavioural and neuropathological symptoms
in a mouse model of Huntington Disease (HD).
Phase:
Phase 2
Details
Lead Sponsor:
University of British Columbia
Collaborators:
Huntington Society of Canada Huntington Study Group