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Too much glutamate is damaging or toxic to the
nerve cell. NMDA antagonists work very differently from cholinesterase
inhibitors. The dosage is based on how well a patient tolerates the drug.
The recommended effective final dosage of Memantine is 20 mg/day after the
patient has successfully tolerated lower doses. Memantine is the first drug
for people in the later stages of the disease. A number of other treatments,
including Vitamin E, estrogen and anti-inflammatory drugs have shown some
promising associations, but are not yet proven for routine use. Plants like
Ginkgo biloba are available in many countries,yet underinvest-igated. Ginkgo
extract seems to improve cerebral blood flow, but consistent benefits with
it have not been demonstrated.
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