Could a dementia drug shield kids' brains from radiation damage?
NCT ID NCT03194906
First seen Jun 23, 2026 · Last updated Jun 23, 2026
Summary
This pilot study tested whether memantine, a drug used for dementia in adults, could help prevent memory and thinking problems in children receiving brain radiation for tumors like glioma or craniopharyngioma. 41 children aged 6-21 took either memantine or a placebo during radiation. The goal was to see if the study was feasible and if memantine could protect cognitive function. Results are still being analyzed.
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, United States
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Memantine (a drug used for dementia in adults)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a way to reduce thinking and memory problems in children after brain radiation.
What could go wrong
This is a very early pilot study with only 41 children, so results may not be conclusive. Memantine is not yet approved for children, and side effects are possible.
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.