Memantine inhibits serotonin-induced rise of cytosolic Ca2+ activity and of cyclic GMP level in a neuronal cell line.

Serotonin (5-HT) evoked a rise of cytosolic Ca2+ activity in neuroblastoma X glioma hybrid cells, most probably due to the entry of extracellular Ca2+; cyclic GMP synthesis was also stimulated. The rise of both cytosolic Ca2+ activity and of cyclic GMP level was blocked by memantine (1-amino-3,5-dimethyladamantane). Memantine inhibited the rise of the cyclic GMP level non-competitively (Ki about 50 microM). Thus, memantine suppresses the effects of 5-HT in the neuronal cell line, most likely by blocking Ca2+-permeable ion channels. This interpretation is in line with the previously reported finding that memantine suppressed the 5-HT-induced depolarizing response in the same cell line.