This study evaluated treatment with riluzole, a neuroprotective agent, following thoracic spinal cord compression in the rat. Animals received riluzole (2 mg kg-1) or vehicle twice daily for 10 days following the trauma. Motor deficits, somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) and lesion histology were evaluated. Although paralysis was seen following trauma, seven of 10 animals receiving riluzole recovered motor function and nearly normal behaviour, unlike animals receiving vehicle. Trauma dramatically disturbed SEPs with falls in amplitude and increases in latency. After riluzole SEP returned towards pre-injury levels, while untreated animals showed no recovery. Morphological studies revealed significant (53%) reduction in the degree of spinal cord infarcted after riluzole treatment.