Riluzole in psychiatry: a systematic review of the literature

Background: The glutamate system seems to be an important contributor to the pathophysiology of mood and anxiety disorders. Thus, glutamatergic modulators are reasonable candidate drugs to test in patients with mood and anxiety disorders. Riluzole, a neuroprotective agent with anticonvulsant properties approved for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is one such agent. Objective: To assess the potential risks and benefits of riluzole treatment in psychiatric patients. Methods: A PubMed search was performed using the keywords 'riluzole', 'inhibitor of glutamate release' and 'glutamatergic modulator' to identify all clinical studies and case reports involving riluzole in psychiatric patients. Results/conclusion: Riluzole's side effect profile is favorable and preliminary results regarding riluzole for the treatment of severe mood, anxiety and impulsive disorders are encouraging.