Riluzole in the Treatment of Bipolar Depression

Summary

Bipolar disorder is a common and often chronic and debilitating mental illness. The depressive phase of bipolar disorder contributes the largest portion of the disorder, and treatment resistant bipolar depression represents a significant public health problem. Recent research has suggested that bipolar depression is associated with elevated brain glutamate activity. We hypothesize that riluzole, a drug approved for ALS which inhibits glutamate activity, will lead to clinical improvement in patients with bipolar depression.

Timeline

Start

2007-06

Primary completion

2009-06

Completion

2009-07

Publications

• Results Brennan BP, Hudson JI, Jensen JE, McCarthy J, Roberts JL, Prescot AP, Cohen BM, Pope HG Jr, Renshaw PF, Ongur D. Rapid enhancement of glutamatergic neurotransmission in bipolar depression following treatment with riluzole. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2010 Feb;35(3):834-46. doi: 10.1038/npp.2009.191. Epub 2009 Dec 2.

Drugs

Indications