Treatment of severe axial tardive dystonia with clozapine: case report and hypothesis.
We report a patient with severe axial tardive dystonia who has had dramatic improvement for 4 years after treatment with the atypical antipsychotic drug clozapine (625 mg/day). Clozapine differs from conventional neuroleptics in that it has higher affinity for D1 and lower affinity for D2 dopamine receptors than do conventional antipsychotics, which are relatively selective D2 antagonists. We propose that repetitive stimulation of the D1 receptor by endogenous dopamine, resulting in sensitization of the D1-mediated striatal output in the presence of D2 receptor blockade, is a fundamental mechanism mediating tardive dyskinesia, including the dystonic type. According to this hypothesis, it is primarily the D1 antagonist action of clozapine that accounts for its inability to cause tardive dyskinesia as well as its therapeutic effect in tardive dystonia. Regardless of its mechanism of action, the sustained improvement observed in this case suggests that clozapine should be tried in cases of severe refractory tardive dystonia.
Department of Neurology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville 22908.
J M
JM
Trugman
R
R
Leadbetter
M E
ME
Zalis
R O
RO
Burgdorf
G F
GF
Wooten
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003024:Clozapine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004421:Dystonia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D003024:Clozapine