Citation

Dietrichs E, Magnusson A, Opjordsmoen S. Eur. J. Neurol. 1996; 3(4): 395-396.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, European Federation of Neurological Societies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1468-1331.1996.tb00236.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A 21-year-old woman with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome developed acute dystonia 24 h after ingesting 750 mg of tetrabenazine in a suicide attempt. The symptoms were rapidly resolved on diazepam and orphenadrine administration. Acute dystonia caused by tetrabenazine is extremely rare, but may help us understand the pathophysiology of drug-induced dystonic reactions. We suggest that acute dystonia in this patient was caused by catecholamine depletion and a subsequently reduced dopaminergic neurotransmission rather than by dopamine receptor blockade.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; female; case report; suicide attempt; article; anxiolytic agent; pathophysiology; priority journal; diazepam; benzodiazepine; dopaminergic transmission; dystonia; Gilles de la Tourette syndrome; catecholamine; orphenadrine; tetrabenazine; Tetrabenazine; Dystonia; oral drug administration; catecholamine depletion; central muscle relaxant; Extrapyramidal side effects