Memantine is a N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist that stimulates the production of dopamine in the brain (Parsons et al.). NMDA receptor is a calcium-permeable ion channel found in neurons and regulated by its ligands glutamate and glycine (Song et al.). NMDA receptor signaling is involved with plasticity, cell survival, and cell death. Hyperactivity of these receptors can result in neuron loss and may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases (Parsons & Raymond; Song et al.). Memantine is used to treat patients with Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease (Meisner et al.; Parsons et al.).

DISEASE MODELING
· Upregulates the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and prevents the onset of dopamine deficiency in macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV; Meisner et al.).