title: Functional hyperthermia due to central dopaminergic impairment.
abstract: The clinical cases described are characterized by rigidity, mutism and hyperthermia, with cutaneous pallor and diaphoresis. This symptomatology marks the "malignant neuroleptic syndrome" and can be found, at times, in parkinsonians on "drug holiday". The cases described, which comprehend patients with both disorders, lead us to a single pathogenetic hypothesis: a central dopaminergic impairment. Hyperthermia, secondary to functional hypothalamic deficiency, is maintained by defective heat dispersion due to the lack of cutaneous vasodilation.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002230:Carbidopa / Q000009:adverse effects; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D004338:Drug Combinations / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009459:Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; C009265:carbidopa, levodopa drug combination; D007980:Levodopa; D006220:Haloperidol; D002230:Carbidopa; D004298:Dopamine