Rivastigmine showed a cognitive-score signal during electroconvulsive therapy
A small randomized trial found a more favorable cognitive-score trajectory with rivastigmine than placebo; the adjusted memantine result was not statistically significant.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Rivastigmine produced a more favorable change in a cognitive screening score than placebo during follow-up. Memantine showed a positive trend that was not statistically significant after adjustment. This abstract-based trial suggests a possible cognitive benefit from rivastigmine, but it does not establish better everyday functioning or demonstrate that rivastigmine is superior to memantine.
The trial was small, and the abstract does not report adverse events or longer-term outcomes. Its cognitive measure does not establish which specific cognitive abilities changed or whether daily functioning improved.
What researchers found
Mean weekly MoCA score slope
Rivastigmine versus placebo, using assessments through week 6. MoCA is the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.
How change was measured
Researchers estimated each participant's cognitive-score trajectory across repeated assessments, then compared the groups. The reported result describes average weekly score change, rather than the proportion of patients who recovered or a measure of everyday independence.
The other treatment remains uncertain
Memantine's score trajectory was positive, but the adjusted analysis did not establish a statistically significant effect. Different significance results against placebo do not, by themselves, demonstrate a difference between the active medications.
The original publication
Assessing the Efficacy of Cognitive Enhancers in Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Rivastigmine and Memantine.
Molaee P, Jahangiri Zarkani N, Tavakoli-Ardakani M et al.
Clin Neuropharmacol · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40844389
- Record checked
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