Evidence-based treatments for trichotillomania and skin-picking disorder are scarce. A new study conducted in the US investigated the effectiveness of memantine, an established drug for Alzheimer’s , in treating these underrecognized conditions. As a glutamate inhibitor, memantine is also prescribed off-label for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder. The study included 100 adults with skin-picking disorder or trichotillomania, randomized to take either memantine or a placebo for eight weeks.
About 60% of the patients on memantine showed improvement, while about 8% on placebo reported similar improvement. In addition, 11% of patients taking memantine showed complete symptom resolution compared to 2% taking a placebo. Furthermore, memantine also improved the National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped (NIMH) scale, Sheehan Disability Scale, and Clinical Global Impressions severity…
