Memantine for OCD

The review found that Memantine, mainly used as an adjunct to SSRIs, may reduce OCD symptom severity, particularly in patients with treatment-resistant OCD. Most studies reported greater improvements on Y-BOCS scores compared with placebo or SSRI alone, with generally good tolerability. However, the evidence is limited by small samples, short study durations, and methodological heterogeneity. While results support a potential role for glutamatergic modulation in OCD, larger and more rigorous trials are needed before memantine can be recommended routinely.

References:

Bryan, J. W., & Hassoulas, A. (2026). Memantine for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: a systematic review and narrative synthesis. BMC Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-026-07787-7