Memantine attenuates the development of osteoarthritis by blocking NMDA receptor mediated calcium overload and chondrocyte senescence

Memantine, which is an FDA-proven drug for the treatment of dementia, exerts its function by blocking the function of NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor, a calcium-permeable ion channel that reduces cytotoxic calcium overload. Chondrocyte senescence is a crucial cellular event that contributes to articular cartilage degeneration during osteoarthritis (OA) development. To date, the effects of memantine and its downstream NMDA receptor on chondrocyte senescence and OA have been rarely reported.