Memantine May Improve Social Skills in Youths With Autism, Trial Finds

USA: A recent randomized clinical trial published in JAMA Network Open suggests that memantine , a drug commonly used for Alzheimer’s disease, may offer a potential therapeutic option to improve social difficulties in young individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who do not have intellectual disability. The trial, led by Dr. Gagan Joshi and colleagues from the Alan and Lorraine Bressler Clinical and Research Program for Autism Spectrum Disorder at Massachusetts General Hospital, investigated whether memantine could enhance social functioning in children and adolescents with ASD. The 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study enrolled 42 participants between the ages of 8 and 17 years. All participants had ASD without intellectual disability (IQ ≥ 85). Using proton