Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Currently, there are more than 4 million individuals with dementia in the United States with at least 400,000 deaths annually. AD is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder, characterized neuropathologically by widespread neuronal loss, presence of neurofibrillary tangles, and deposits of beta amyloid in cerebral blood vessels and neuritic plaques. Since the medial-temporal lobes, hippocampus, and association cortex are significantly impacted it is not surprising that the primary symptom of AD is a decline in cognitive functioning that leads to marked impairment in daily functioning. In particular, memory impairments, visuospatial decline, language difficulties, and loss of executive function are central cognitive symptoms of this illness. Behavioral disturbances such as agitation and hallucinations often accompany disease progression. The illness lasts approximately 7 to 10 years, with patients requiring total care in the latter stages. Thus, AD places a tremendous emotional and economic burden on both patients and their caregivers. Beyond a cure, therapeutic approaches which would alleviate the symptoms or delay progression could be of substantial psychological and economic benefit. Recent placebo controlled clinical trials have shown memantine to be efficacious in the treatment of patients with moderate to severe AD.