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In a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial, adjuvant memantine improved symptoms in inpatients suffering from refractory obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD)

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Abstract

Background

There is growing evidence that memantine, a noncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist, may be applied as an add-on in treating patients suffering from obsessive–compulsive disorders (OCD). The aim of the present study was therefore to assess the effect of adjuvant memantine in a double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled study of the treatment of patients suffering from OCD.

Method

A total of 40 inpatients (32 females (80 %); mean age = 31.25 years) suffering from OCD were randomly assigned to a treatment (administration of memantine) or a control group (placebo). Treatment lasted for 12 consecutive weeks. All patients were treated with selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors or clomipramine. Patients completed the Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale four times. Experts’ ratings consisted in clinical global impression (clinical global impressions (CGI), illness severity and illness improvement; two to three times). Liver enzymes SGOT and SGPT were also assessed (twice).

Results

Of the 40 inpatients approached, 29 completed the 12 consecutive weeks of the study. Of the 11 dropouts, 6 were in the target group and five in the control group. Symptoms significantly decreased across the period of the study, but particularly in the treatment compared with the control group (significant time × group interaction). Illness severity (CGI severity) also significantly decreased over time but more so in the treatment than in the control group (significant time × group interaction). Illness improvements (CGI improvements) were not significant.

Conclusions

The pattern of results from the present double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled study for the treatment of patients suffering from OCD suggests that adjuvant memantine does significantly and favorably impact on OCD.

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Notes

  1. The clinical trial number is: IRCT138712141743N1; www.irct.ir.

  2. In the latter case, in strict accordance with the declaration of Helsinki, patients were free to withdraw from the study without any further justification or explanation. Moreover, they were assured that withdrawing from the study without any further justification was in no way associated with any disadvantages.

  3. Once a week, patients received a list indicating possible side-effects due to adjuvant medication (answers; yes/no). The list was based on the Joint Formulary Committee (2004) and comprised the following side-effects: confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, insomnia, agitation and/or hallucinations, vomiting, light-headedness, vertigo, and anxiety.

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Conflict of interest

All authors declare no conflicts of interest; the entire study was performed without external funding

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran

    Mohammad Haghighi, Leila Jahangard, Hassan Hafezian & Alireza Rahimi

  2. Isfahan Psychosomatic Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Hamid Mohammad-Beigi & Hamid Afshar

  3. Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center (PPRC), Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Hafez Bajoghli

  4. Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders (ZASS), Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, 4012, Basel, Switzerland

    Edith Holsboer-Trachsler & Serge Brand

Authors
  1. Mohammad Haghighi
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  2. Leila Jahangard
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  3. Hamid Mohammad-Beigi
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  4. Hafez Bajoghli
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  5. Hassan Hafezian
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  6. Alireza Rahimi
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  7. Hamid Afshar
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  8. Edith Holsboer-Trachsler
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  9. Serge Brand
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edith Holsboer-Trachsler.

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Haghighi, M., Jahangard, L., Mohammad-Beigi, H. et al. In a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial, adjuvant memantine improved symptoms in inpatients suffering from refractory obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD). Psychopharmacology 228, 633–640 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-013-3067-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-013-3067-z

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