Riluzole

So at this point, there are some research things going on.

There's something called Riluzole.

There's a trial that's an ALS drug that they're trying to repurpose possibly for spinal cord injury.

It was happening during COVID, so things sort of, they didn't have the numbers that they need, but it's still ongoing.

Memantine is approved for Alzheimer's disease, not OCD.

Riluzole is approved for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

So in OCD, both are used off-label.

Which glutamatergic agent does Dr. Hudak now reach for first, and at what dose? What lab monitoring does riluzole call for? And which patients might get the most out of lamotrigine? Remember, too, that Psychopharmacology Institute stands out for its commitment to industry-free funding, providing you with reliable, unbiased, and evidence-based educational content free from pharmaceutical company influence.

And you may use the memantine instead of NAC for BFRBs because being that it's a prescription medication, I think we can ensure a better formulation as opposed to what you're buying over the counter.

Another glutamatergic medication with some good evidence for OCD is riluzole.

Riluzole is a calcium and sodium channel blocker that's approved for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

So it inhibits synaptic glutamate release and enhances glutamate uptake by the astrocytes.

And there is a plausible mechanism for that because Viagra works by improving blood flow, which is impaired in vascular dementia.

And another one was that researchers are investigating whether Riluzole, which is a drug used to treat motor neuron disease, could improve cognition in people with Alzheimer's and reduce buildup of amyloid in the brain.

So that's all incredible, right? It's obviously giving a lot of people hope.

It's certainly great as a layperson to hear that.

Right now, there are two drugs that are available specifically for the treatment of ALS.

One is called Riluzole, I think I'm pronouncing that right.

Um, it has been shown to increase survival by about three months on average.

Um, and this one is probably the most widely approved drug across the globe.