GFAP and depressive disorder: This involvement of glutamate reuptake dysfunction in the depression-like behavioral effects of stress is supported also by the demonstration that administration of riluzole, a compound that stimulates the reuptake of glutamate by astrocytes, and also reduces its release, mitigates depression-like behaviors and prevents alterations of astrocyte metabolism and GFAP mRNA expression in rodent models of stress (Banasr et al., 2010).