NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – “Out of control” bingeeaters may benefit from the Alzheimer’s drug memantine, accordingto new research suggesting that the drug significantly reduces thefrequency and severity of binge episodes, although it does not seemto induce weight loss.

Study chief Dr. Brian P. Brennan, from McLean Hospital inBelmont, Massachusetts, told Reuters Health that his team was notsurprised that memantine reduced binge episodes since that wastheir initial hypothesis.

On the other hand, he added, “We were surprised that memantinewas not associated with a reduction in body weight. A previoussmall study using memantine in five individuals with binge eatingdisorder showed a reduction in both frequency of binge episodes andbody weight.”

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