Vitamin E Outpaces Memantine in Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer Disease

Both memantine and vitamin E have demonstrated benefits in patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer disease (AD). However, multiple studies of memantine in mild AD revealed no clear benefit, and vitamin E used in normal cognition and mild cognitive impairment does not affect progression to AD. Now, researchers have tested the effects of vitamin E and memantine in more than 600 veterans (97% men; 86% white) diagnosed with mild-to-moderate AD (Mini Mental State Examination score range, 12–26) already treated with stable doses of acetylcholinesterase inhibitor therapy (donepezil, 65%; galantamine, 32%; rivastigmine, 3%). Participants were randomized to receive 2000 IU vitamin E, 20 mg memantine, 2000 IU vitamin E plus 20 mg memantine, or pla…