Exelon

• Exelon is the brand name of a drug called rivastigmine tartrate. Exelon is a cholinesterase inhibitor, which slows the depletion of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
  
  

Namenda

• Namenda is the brand name of a drug called memantine hydrochloride. Namenda works differently than Exelon by protecting brain cells from an overabundance of the neurotransmitter glutamate.
  
  

Benefits

• According to JohnsHopkinsHealthAlerts.com, a combination of Namenda and another cholinesterase inhibitor called Aricept was associated with improved cognition among Alzheimer's disease patients.
  
  

Interaction

• According to Drugs.com, "there are no known interactions between Exelon and Namenda." However, this is no indication that an interaction is not possible.
  
  

Considerations

• According to the Fischer Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation, while drugs such as Exelon and Namenda effectively treat some patients, about half of the people who take these drugs will not benefit from them.