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Glutamate receptor antagonist

Memantine for Trichotillomania

Phase 2
Waitlist Available
Led By Jon Grant, JD, MD, MPH
Research Sponsored by University of Chicago
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Be older than 18 years old
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up 8 weeks
Awards & highlights
All Individual Drugs Already Approved
Approved for 5 Other Conditions

Summary

This trial tests whether memantine can help adults with trichotillomania or skin picking disorder by balancing brain activity to reduce their urges. Participants will take memantine for a period of time to see if it is effective and safe. Memantine has been used to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease by protecting neurons from excessive stimulation.

Eligible Conditions
  • Trichotillomania
  • Skin Picking Disorder

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~8 weeks
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 8 weeks for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
NIMH Symptom Severity Scale (for TTM or Skin Picking)
Secondary study objectives
Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement Scale (CGI-I)
Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale
Hamilton Depression Rating Scale
+4 more

Side effects data

From 2019 Phase 4 trial • 115 Patients • NCT01902004
23%
Sleepiness/Sedation
10%
Headache
8%
Tension/Inner Unrest
8%
Reduced Salivation
8%
Concentration Difficulties
8%
Diminished Sexual Drive
6%
Asthenia/Lassitude/Increased Fatigability
6%
Constipation
6%
Polyuria/Polydipsia
6%
Orthostatic Dizziness
4%
Nausea/Vomiting
4%
Erectile Dysfunction
4%
Failing Memory
2%
Diarrhea
2%
Increased Duration of Sleep
2%
Reduced Duration of Sleep
2%
Increased Dream Activity
2%
Accomodation Disturbance
2%
Increased Tendancy to Sweating
2%
Weight Gain
2%
Ejaculatory Dysfunction
2%
Micturtion Disturbances
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Study treatment Arm
Escitalopram and Placebo
Escitalopram and Memantine

Awards & Highlights

All Individual Drugs Already Approved
Therapies where all constituent drugs have already been approved are likely to have better-understood side effect profiles.
Approved for 5 Other Conditions
This treatment demonstrated efficacy for 5 other conditions.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Placebo Group
Group I: MemantineExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
10mg once daily of memantine for two weeks, then 20mg for the remaining six weeks
Group II: PlaceboPlacebo Group1 Intervention
10mg once daily of placebo for two weeks, then 20mg for the remaining six weeks
Treatment
First Studied
Drug Approval Stage
How many patients have taken this drug
Memantine
FDA approved

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

University of ChicagoLead Sponsor
1,056 Previous Clinical Trials
760,683 Total Patients Enrolled
10 Trials studying Trichotillomania
404 Patients Enrolled for Trichotillomania
Jon Grant, JD, MD, MPHPrincipal InvestigatorUniversity of Chicago
~23 spots leftby Dec 2025
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