Memantine may protect neurocognitive function during childhood brain cancer treatment

Radiation therapy is a lifesaving treatment for many pediatric brain tumors. However, in childhood, brain irradiation can also lead to long-term neurocognitive effects. The drug memantine could help protect children’s neurocognitive abilities, so Heather Conklin, PhD, Division of Neuropsychology chief and Department of Psychology & Biobehavioral Sciences member, and colleagues performed a randomized, controlled pilot clinical trial. They found that giving memantine during radiotherapy was safe and acceptable to caregivers, while also showing initial signs of efficacy. Those effects included significantly protecting academic fluency even a year after treatment, something no other intervention for cognitive late effects has achieved. The findings were published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.

“This is the first study to show preliminary evidence that there’s a cognitive benefit of giving memantine to children during brain tumor treatment,” Conklin said. “Historically, all other interventions have been given when a neurocognitive issue emerges after therapy; this is the first time we may have a protective agent to give during treatment to prevent later neurocognitive problems from arising.”  

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