Parkinson's Disease Evaluated by PET and the Effect of Memantine
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2006-09-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Purpose of study: To investigate whether the NMDA antagonist Memantine has a substantial
effect of brain metabolism in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), using Positron Emission
Tomography (PET).
Background: Disturbances in brain metabolism is thought to contribute to degeneration of
neurons in brain of PD patients. Production of toxic oxygen radicals and presence of too much
excitatory neurotransmitter (glutamate) due to over activity is involved. These factors can
theoretically be alleviated by memantine.
Hypothesis: Memantine decreases metabolism in areas in PD brain known to be over-active.
Decreases in cerebral blood flow and oxygen metabolism in these areas will be the consequence
and this can be detected by PET.