Skip to content

An Open Label Trial of Memantine in the Treatment of Bulimia Nervosa and Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Antiglutamatergic Treatment of Bulimia Nervosa and Body Dysmorphic Disorder: An Open-Label Trial of Memantine

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01038128
Enrollment
5
Registered
2009-12-23
Start date
2009-12-31
Completion date
2011-05-31
Last updated
2015-05-04

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Bulimia Nervosa

Keywords

Bulimia nervosa, Bulimia, Body dysmorphic disorder, Eating disorders, Body image, Binge eating, purging

Brief summary

The primary objective of this 13-week clinical trial is to test the hypothesis that treatment with Memantine will significantly improve the symptoms of those suffering from either bulimia nervosa, purging type or suffering from body dysmorphic disorder.

Detailed description

The primary objective of this clinical trial is to test the hypothesis that treatment with Memantine, an anti-glutamatergic drug, will significantly improve the core symptoms of those suffering from either bulimia nervosa, purging type or suffering from body dysmorphic disorder. We will test this hypothesis by performing a 13-week open label study investigating the use of memantine, at a dose of 10-40mg daily, as a treatment for patients with either bulimia nervosa or body dysmorphic disorder. Improvement for patients with bulimia nervosa will be assessed using the Frequency of binge eating and vomiting as recorded in diary card, Eating Disorder Evaluation (EDE), and the Yale-Brown-Cornell Eating Disorders Scale (YBC-EDS). Improvement for patients with body dysmorphic disorder will be assessed using the the Yale-Brown-Cornell Eating Disorders Scale (YBC-EDS) and Brown Assessments of Beliefs Scale. In addition both groups will also receive the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Severity and Improvement Scales (clinician rated), Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-Improvement), Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), Version 11, Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), and Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS).

Interventions

DRUGMemantine

Drug: Memantine, 10-40 mg daily

Sponsors

Mclean Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

Bulimia Nervosa * Participants must meet DSM-IV criteria for a current diagnosis of bulimia nervosa as determined by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) and Eating Disorder Examination (EDE). * Participants must report an average of 3 or more binges and vomiting episodes per week in the 2-week period prior to the screening visit. * Male or Female between 18 and 65 years of age, inclusive. * Female participants must be: postmenopausal for at least one year, surgically sterile, or practicing an effective method of birth control (e.g., prescription oral contraceptives, contraceptive injections, intrauterine device, double-barrier method, contraceptive patch, male partner sterilization, abstinence and agreeing to continue abstinence or to use one of the acceptable methods of contraception just enumerated should sexual activity commence) before entry and throughout the study; and have a negative serum pregnancy test at the screening visit. * Participants must have observed a designated washout period of at least seven days or a period equal to five half-lives of prohibited medications. * Participants must be able to take oral medication, adhere to the medication regimens, and be willing to return for regular visits. * Participants must be able and willing to read and comprehend written instructions and comprehend and complete all scales and questionnaires required by the protocol. * Participants must have signed an informed consent document indicating that they understand the purpose of and procedures required for the study and are willing to participate in the study. Inclusion Criteria: Body Dysmorphic Disorder Inclusion criteria for participants with body dysmorphic disorder are identical to those for bulimia nervosa above, with the following differences in the first two criteria: * Participants must meet DSM-IV criteria for a current diagnosis of body dysmorphic disorder as determined by the SCID. * Participants must exhibit a score of ≥ 20 on the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Version of the Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (BDD-YBOCS) at a score of ≥ 5 on the first three items of the BDD-YBOCS, which are the items that assess the DSM-IV criteria for Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

Exclusion criteria

for both Bulimia Nervosa and Body Dysmorphic Disorder: * Participants with a lifetime diagnosis of schizophrenia, other psychotic disorder, or bipolar disorder as defined by DSM-IV and supported by the SCID. * Participants with clinically significant current depression or who, in the investigators' judgment, might require intervention with either pharmacological or non-pharmacological therapy for major depressive disorder over the course of the study. * Participants judged clinically to be at suicidal or homicidal risk by the study physician. * Participants meeting DSM-IV criteria for any form of substance dependence or abuse (with the exception of nicotine or caffeine dependence) within 3 months prior to the screening visit. * Participants meeting DSM-IV criteria for anorexia nervosa within 3 months prior to the screening visit. * Participants with a current DSM-IV diagnosis of an organic mental disorder. * Participants who have begun to receive formal psychotherapy (cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy or self-guided cognitive-behavioral therapy) for bulimia nervosa within 6 months prior to the screening visit. * Participants who display a positive urine screen for drugs of abuse (phencyclidine, cocaine, amphetamines, tetrahydrocannabinol, and opiates) at the screening visit. * Participants who have previously received memantine for any reason. * Participants who have received an investigational medication within 30 days of the screening visit. * Participants who are pregnant or lactating. * Participants with a body mass index (BMI) less than 18.5 or greater than 35. * Participants who have abused ipecac as a method of purging within the past 2 years. * Participants who exhibit a serum potassium level of less than 3.0 mEq/L. * Participants with thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations outside the range of 0.5-5.0 lU/mL. * Participants with clinically significant or unstable medical conditions * Participants who in the opinion of the investigator should not be enrolled in the study because of the precautions, warnings or contraindications sections of the prescribing information for memantine * Employees of the investigator, individuals with direct involvement in studies under the direction of the study investigators, as well as family members of the employees of the investigators.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of Binge Eating and Self-induced Vomiting EpisodesBaseline to 12 weeksNumber of self-reported binge eating and self-induced vomiting episodes during the week prior to the Baseline and Endpoint Visits.
Ratings of Eating PathologyBaseline to 12 weeksRatings obtained from the self-induced vomiting and laxative misuse sections of the Eating Disorder Examination. The scale asks participants to calculate discreet episodes of self-induced vomiting and laxative misuses over the period of four weeks. Generally, the value obtained is the number of occurrences. However, in cases where the number of occurrences was too great to be calculated, the number 777 was used. The scale is therefore open-ended, with higher numbers coinciding with a greater number of episodes.
Clinical Global Impression ScaleBaseline to 12 weeksDisorder severity is measured based on the Clinical Global Impression Scale. The scale ranges from 1 unit (Not at all ill) to 7 units (extremely ill).
Body Dysmorphic Disorder Version of the Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive ScaleBaseline to 12 weeksThe scale ranges from 0 to 91 units, with 0 representing the least ill and 91 representing the most ill.
Brown Assessments of Belief ScaleBaseline to 12 weeksThe range for this scale is 0 to 28 units, with 0 representing the least ill and 28 representing the most ill.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Memantine
Memantine, 10-40 mg daily
5
Total5

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000
Overall StudyLack of Efficacy1
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up1
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject2

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicMemantine
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
5 Participants
Age, Continuous41.5 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 18.6
Region of Enrollment
United States
5 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
0 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
3 / 3
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 3

Outcome results

Primary

Body Dysmorphic Disorder Version of the Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale

The scale ranges from 0 to 91 units, with 0 representing the least ill and 91 representing the most ill.

Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

Population: One subject completed. The remaining two subjects' last observation was carried forward.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
MemantineBody Dysmorphic Disorder Version of the Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive ScaleBaseline Data57.67 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 0.58
MemantineBody Dysmorphic Disorder Version of the Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive ScaleEndpoint Data48.67 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 6.51
Primary

Brown Assessments of Belief Scale

The range for this scale is 0 to 28 units, with 0 representing the least ill and 28 representing the most ill.

Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

Population: This scale was only administered to participants with Body Dysmorphic Disorder. No participants with BDD completed the Baseline Visit and, therefore, no results were available to analyze.

Primary

Clinical Global Impression Scale

Disorder severity is measured based on the Clinical Global Impression Scale. The scale ranges from 1 unit (Not at all ill) to 7 units (extremely ill).

Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

Population: One subject completed. The remaining two subjects' last observation was carried forward.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
MemantineClinical Global Impression ScaleBaseline Data5 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 0
MemantineClinical Global Impression ScaleEndpoint Data4 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 1.41
Primary

Number of Binge Eating and Self-induced Vomiting Episodes

Number of self-reported binge eating and self-induced vomiting episodes during the week prior to the Baseline and Endpoint Visits.

Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

Population: One subject completed. The remaining two subjects' last observation was carried forward.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
MemantineNumber of Binge Eating and Self-induced Vomiting EpisodesBinge Eating Baseline20.67 number of episodesStandard Deviation 14.74
MemantineNumber of Binge Eating and Self-induced Vomiting EpisodesBinge Eating Endpoint31.33 number of episodesStandard Deviation 35.25
MemantineNumber of Binge Eating and Self-induced Vomiting EpisodesPurging Baseline21.67 number of episodesStandard Deviation 27.3
MemantineNumber of Binge Eating and Self-induced Vomiting EpisodesPurging Endpoint36.67 number of episodesStandard Deviation 54.93
Primary

Ratings of Eating Pathology

Ratings obtained from the self-induced vomiting and laxative misuse sections of the Eating Disorder Examination. The scale asks participants to calculate discreet episodes of self-induced vomiting and laxative misuses over the period of four weeks. Generally, the value obtained is the number of occurrences. However, in cases where the number of occurrences was too great to be calculated, the number 777 was used. The scale is therefore open-ended, with higher numbers coinciding with a greater number of episodes.

Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

Population: One subject completed. The remaining two subjects' last observation was carried forward.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
MemantineRatings of Eating PathologyBaseline Data101.33 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 71.07
MemantineRatings of Eating PathologyEndpoint Data38.67 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 30.27

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026