Efficacy and Tolerability of Riluzole in Treatment Resistant Depression

Summary

This study aims to examine the antidepressant efficacy of riluzole, employing a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, adjunctive trial in treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (TRD).

Timeline

Start

2011-06

Primary completion

2015-05

Completion

2015-08

Publications

• Background Sanacora G, Kendell SF, Levin Y, Simen AA, Fenton LR, Coric V, Krystal JH. Preliminary evidence of riluzole efficacy in antidepressant-treated patients with residual depressive symptoms. Biol Psychiatry. 2007 Mar 15;61(6):822-5. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.08.037. Epub 2006 Dec 4.
• Background Zarate CA Jr, Payne JL, Quiroz J, Sporn J, Denicoff KK, Luckenbaugh D, Charney DS, Manji HK. An open-label trial of riluzole in patients with treatment-resistant major depression. Am J Psychiatry. 2004 Jan;161(1):171-4. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.161.1.171.
• Hejazi N, Kheirkhah M, Riedner B, Yuan Q, Chholak R, Momenan R, Jones G, Goldman D, Zarate CA Jr. Modulation of early non-rapid eye movement slow wave activity by ketamine in treatment-resistant depression. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2026 Jun 16. doi: 10.1038/s41386-026-02465-4. Online ahead of print.
• Kheirkhah M, Hejazi NS, Nugent AC, Gilbert JR, Leistritz L, Walter M, Duncan WC Jr, Goldman D, Zarate CA Jr. Exploring the link between waking gamma and sleep delta power in healthy volunteers and individuals with treatment-resistant depression. J Affect Disord. 2025 Sep 15;385:119448. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119448. Epub 2025 May 19.
• Kheirkhah M, Duncan WC Jr, Yuan Q, Wang PR, Jamalabadi H, Leistritz L, Walter M, Goldman D, Zarate CA Jr, Hejazi NS. REM density predicts rapid antidepressant response to ketamine in individuals with treatment-resistant depression. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2025 May;50(6):941-946. doi: 10.1038/s41386-025-02066-7. Epub 2025 Feb 15.
• Hejazi NS, Farmer CA, Oppenheimer M, Falodun TB, Park LT, Duncan WC Jr, Zarate CA Jr. The relationship between the HDRS insomnia items and polysomnographic (PSG) measures in individuals with treatment-resistant depression. J Psychiatr Res. 2022 Apr;148:27-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.01.022. Epub 2022 Jan 11.

Drugs

Indications