SynthesisPsychopharmacology2020
N-acetylcysteine as an adjunctive treatment for bipolar depression and major depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trials.
Synthesis in Psychopharmacology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 35 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy and safety of Nrf2 activators for schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience · 2026Pooled it
- Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for weight management in mental illness: a network meta-analysis.Translational psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Mitochondrial modulators in the treatment of bipolar depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Translational psychiatry · 2022Pooled it
- The effect of N-acetylcysteine on bipolar depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Psychopharmacology · 2021Pooled it
- The effects of N-acetyl cysteine on intrinsic functional connectivity and neural alcohol cue reactivity in treatment-seeking individuals with alcohol use disorder: a preliminary study.Psychopharmacology · 2025Trial
- Ferroptosis in depression: mechanisms, association, and therapeutic strategies.Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996) · 2026Review
- Inflammatory and Oxidative Biological Profiles in Mental Disorders: Perspectives on Diagnostics and Personalized Therapy.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Harnessing Metabolism to Combat Neurodegeneration: Strategies for Reversing Age-Related Cognitive Decline.ACS pharmacology & translational science · 2025Review
- Drugs with glutamate-based mechanisms of action in psychiatry.Pharmacological reports : PR · 2024Review
- Mitochondrial Dysfunction as a Biomarker of Illness State in Bipolar Disorder: A Critical Review.Brain sciences · 2024Review
- Dietary habits, depression and obesity: an intricate relationship to explore in pediatric preventive strategies.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2024Review
- Monoclonal antibody precision therapy targeting inflammation for bipolar disorder: a narrative review.Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology · 2024Review
- Partial Response to Antidepressant Treatment: The Role of Nutraceutical Compounds.Clinical neuropsychiatry · 2023Article
- Celecoxib for Mood Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Review
- Anti-Inflammatory Treatment Efficacy in Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review of Meta-Analyses.Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment · 2023Review
- Acetylsalicylic Acid and Mood Disorders: A Systematic Review.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- The Potential of N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) in the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders.CNS drugs · 2022Review
- Can pharmacotherapy improve treatment outcomes in people with co-occurring major depressive and cocaine use disorders?Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy · 2021Review
- Glutathione as a Molecular Marker of Functional Impairment in Patients with At-Risk Mental State: 7-TeslaBrain sciences · 2021Article
- Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
rationaleIt remains unclear whether using N-acetylcysteine as an adjunctive treatment has any benefit for bipolar depression and major depressive disorder.
objectivesA systematic review and random-effect meta-analysis of double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trials was conducted to explore the clinical question.
methodsOutcomes included improvement in depression scale scores (primary), Young Mania Rating Scale score, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale score, Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale (CGI-S) score, Global Assessment of Functioning Scale score, Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale score, Range of Impaired Functioning Tool score, Streamed Longitudinal Interval Clinical Evaluation for the Longitudinal Interview Follow-Up Evaluation score, quality of life scales scores, and the incidence of all-cause discontinuation and individual adverse events.
resultsSeven studies (n = 728, 8-24 weeks, mean age = 46.81, % female = 58.45%) were included. N-acetylcysteine did not improve depressive symptoms compared with placebo (N = 7, n = 579, standardized mean difference (SMD) = - 0.12, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = - 0.38, 0.14, p = 0.38, I
conclusionsAlthough N-acetylcysteine decreased CGI-S score, no specific improvements in symptoms were identified.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.