Galantamine (Razadyne) approved in 2001 for mild-to-moderate stages
The second type of drug works by regulating the activity of glutamate, a different messenger chemical involved in information processing:
Memantine (Namenda) is the only currently available drug in this class.
The effectiveness of both types of treatments varies from person to peeson. While they may temporarily help symptoms, they do not slow or stop the brain changes that cause Alzheimer's to become more sever over time.