Memantine Facts
Dissociative;
Description
Memantine (3,5-dimethyladamantan-1-amine) is a synthetic dissociative of the adamantane class. It blocks glutamate receptors in the brain, dampening excessive neuronal signaling and producing the cognitive disconnection characteristic of dissociatives.[1]
Subjective effects include cognitive disconnection, emotional suppression, perceptual flattening, mild dissociation, and a clear-headed detachment from bodily awareness. The experience is defined by its extraordinary duration — a slow-building, multiday cognitive detachment closer to a sustained mental haze than the acute dissociative plunge of ketamine.[2]
Memantine produces low to negligible dependence, and its safety at approved doses matches placebo in clinical trials.[3] The main danger at higher doses is pharmacokinetic: the 60–80 hour half-life locks users into multiday experiences, and urine alkalinizers — antacids, baking soda — can increase drug exposure by up to 80%,[4] making dose control unpredictable.
Dose and durationby route · individual sensitivity varies
Starts in 30 – 180 minLasts 18 – 36 hoursAfter-effects 8 – 24 hours
Body and dependence
- Acute toxicity
- Low
- Chronic toxicity
- Low
- Physical dependence
- Negligible
- Psychological dependence
- Negligible
- Withdrawal
- None recorded
- Compulsive redosing
- Negligible
Tolerance
- Builds
- None
- Fully resets after
- Not recorded
- Carries over to
- ketamine;
dextromethorphan; PCP; nitrous oxide; MXE
Effectslikely at a common dose
- Perception
- none likely · 11 possible, including Spatial disorientation, Vestibular distortion, Visual acuity suppression
- Body
- none likely · 15 possible, including Dizziness, Motor control impairment, Nausea
- Thinking
- none likely · 17 possible, including Cognitive impairment, Confusion, Decision impairment
- Feeling
- none likely · 5 possible, including Anxiety, Dysphoria
- Self
- none likely · 6 possible, including Depersonalization, Derealization, Communication suppression
- Time
- none likely · 2 possible, including Temporal disorientation
- Awareness
- none likely · 1 possible
Who shouldn't take it
Combinations61 recorded
Seek help immediately if
No emergency profile is recorded for this substance. Not recorded never means no risk.
988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineFireside Project: 62-FIRESIDE
References
- [1]^Lipton SA, Gu Z, Nakamura T (2007) Inflammatory mediators leading to protein misfolding and uncompetitive/fast off-rate drug therapy for neurodegenerative disorders — International Review of Neurobiology PMID:17678953
- [2]
- [3]^Reisberg B, Doody R, Stöffler A, Schmitt F, Ferris S, Möbius HJ (2003) Memantine in moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease — New England Journal of Medicine doi:10.1056/nejmoa013128
- [4]