Citation

Attaway A, Sroujieh L, Mersfelder TL, Butler C, Ouellette D. J. Pharmacol. Pharmacother. 2016; 7(1): 34-37.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Medknow Publications)

DOI

10.4103/0976-500X.179360

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

An infrequent manifestation of monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) toxicity is 'ping-pong gaze' (PPG). We describe the case of a 26-year-old female who was found unresponsive after taking 40 tablets of phenelzine. On presentation to the hospital, her eyes were moving in characteristic 'ping pong' fashion. After 6 hours her gaze terminated. The following day her neurologic exam was benign and she had no long-term sequelae. While the etiology of PPG is unknown, it is most often seen with irreversible structural brain damage. However, a detailed literature review revealed that previous cases of MAOI toxicity where the patient survived have all had complete neurologic recovery. © 2016 Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; female; case report; depression; suicide attempt; drug overdose; anorexia; bulimia; drug intoxication; lorazepam; Caucasian; midazolam; phenelzine; neurologic examination; spontaneous abortion; Article; drug dose titration; continuous infusion; eye movement disorder; Monoamine oxidase inhibitor toxicity; ping pong gaze; short-cycle periodic alternating gaze