Cited by 463Sulfur Compounds in BiologyTreatment of Major DepressionParkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments

Clinical trials of N-acetylcysteine in psychiatry and neurology: A systematic review

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Deepmala, Slattery, John, Kumar, Nihit, Delhey, Leanna, Berk, Michael, Dean, Olivia, Spielholz, Charles, Frye, Richard·2015·Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

Abstract

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is recognized for its role in acetaminophen overdose and as a mucolytic. Over the past decade, there has been growing evidence for the use of NAC in treating psychiatric and neurological disorders, considering its role in attenuating pathophysiological processes associated with these disorders, including oxidative stress, apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation and glutamate and dopamine dysregulation. In this systematic review we find favorable evidence for the use of NAC in several psychiatric and neurological disorders, particularly autism, Alzheimer's disease, cocaine and cannabis addiction, bipolar disorder, depression, trichotillomania, nail biting, skin picking, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, drug-induced neuropathy and progressive myoclonic epilepsy. Disorders such as anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and mild traumatic brain injury have preliminary evidence and require larger confirmatory studies while current evidence does not support the use of NAC in gambling, methamphetamine and nicotine addictions and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Overall, NAC treatment appears to be safe and tolerable. Further well designed, larger controlled trials are needed for specific psychiatric and neurological disorders where the evidence is favorable.

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  1. Baker, D.A., Xi, Z.X., Shen, H., Swanson, C.J., Kalivas, P.W., 2002b. The origin and neu- ronal function of in vivo nonsynaptic glutamate. J. Neurosci. 22 (20), 9134-9141.
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Authors
Deepmala, Slattery, J., Kumar, N., Delhey, L., Berk, M., Dean, O., Spielholz, C., & Frye, R.
Affiliations
  • Arkansas Children's Hospital (US)
  • Barwon Health (AU)
  • MaRS (CA)
Corresponding author
Deepmala
Venue
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-08
Volume
55
Pages
294-321
ISSN
0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W240506283
Cited by
463
References
218
Citations by year
2026: 28 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 38 · 2023: 38 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 49 · 2019: 51 · 2018: 47 · 2017: 50 · 2016: 42 · 2015: 8
FWCI
4.66
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Deakin Research Online (Deakin University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Bristol-Myers Squibb
  • Eli Lilly and Company
  • Pfizer
  • Sanofi
  • Geelong Region Medical Research Foundation
  • Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative
  • Australian Rotary Health
  • Beyond Blue
  • Servier
  • H. Lundbeck A/S
  • National Institutes of Health (1059660)
  • National Health and Medical Research Council (1078928, 1061043, 1059660)
  • Cilag
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Sulfur Compounds in Biology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
Keywords
N-acetylcysteine, mental illness, neurological disorders, autism spectrum disorder, Alzheimer's disease, addiction, bipolar disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, drug-induced neuropathy, progressive myoclonic epilepsy, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, glutamate dysregulation, dopamine dysregulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, treatment safety
MeSH terms
Acetylcysteine, Adolescent, Adult, Mental Disorders, Clinical Trials as Topic, Female, Humans, Male, Nervous System Diseases, Neurology, Psychiatry, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Treatment Outcome, Young Adult

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