Memantine . . . and other stories

TrichotillomaniaMemantine is an NMDA antagonist credited with small positive effects on cognition, mood, and behaviour in people with Alzheimer’s disease. A small randomised controlled trial finds that it may also be useful in people with trichotillomania and skin picking disorder. After eight weeks’ treatment, more than half of the participants in the group given the active drug were substantially improved, compared with 8% in the placebo group (Am J Psychiatry doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.20220737).Multiple sclerosisMore than 50 years ago, John Kurtzke’s systematic review of surveys of multiple sclerosis established the unusual geographical distribution of this condition. Both north and south of the equator, the prevalence of the disease increased with latitude. A nationwide survey from the US shows that the pattern persists. With each degree of latitude, the prevalence of multiple sclerosis increased by 16.3 cases per 100 000 (JAMA Neurol doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.1135).Herpes zoster and dementiaIn Wales, eligibility for the herpes zoster vaccine for…
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