Autism / Autism Spectrum Support Group

Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder which manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, patterns of interests, and patterns of behavior. Although the specific etiology of autism is unknown, many researchers suspect that autism results from genetically mediated vulnerabilities to environmental triggers.

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Developmental & Learning Disorders
/ Autism / Autism Spectrum Support Group

Nemenda for Autism

grievingthelifelost
grievingthelifelost
My twins are both taking Nemenda for social cognition related deficits of the Autism Spectrum disorder. I am wondering if anyone else is using this med for this purpose and seeing results from it. I am thinking it is helping one twin much more than it is helping the other. Any thoughts on this topic from those who have experience with it? Nemenda is an Alzheimers drug being used off-label.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I wasn't aware dr's were prescribing Namenda for ASD until you posted your question. I can't reply on your question but I have a question--Have you consulted the dr that prescribed it to see if maybe you might have to change the dose for the one twin? I see where it's given out in lows doses, maybe it's too low for the one twin?????
rhautm
rhautm
Memantine-- The drug belongs to a class of drugs called NMDA receptor antagonists, which reduce certain types of brain activity by binding to NMDA receptors on brain cells and blocking the activity of the neurotransmitter glutamate. At normal levels, glutamate aids in memory and learning, but if levels are too high, glutamate appears to overstimulate nerve cells, killing them through excitotoxicity.

this drug was hypothesized to potentially modulate learning, block excessive glutamate effects that can include neuroinflammatory activity, and influence neuroglial activity in autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17690064 check this article