title: Gabapentin as a promising treatment for antipsychotic-induced movement disorders in schizoaffective and bipolar patients.
abstract: Improvement of antipsychotic-induced blepharospasm and involuntary oral-mandibulo movements was observed with the use of the anticonvulsant drug gabapentin among 14 of 16 affectively ill patients who had been exposed to maintenance neuroleptics of the conventional type. In many cases, the movement disorders of these patients had not responded to more standard measures such as clozapine. This finding permits a potential strategy for patients with treatment-emergent tardive dyskinesia, a well-known complication of extended conventional neuroleptic use. Gabapentin, whose mood stabilizing properties have been reported in several clinical reports, represents a more natural treatment in the setting of bipolar spectrum disorders.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, University of Cagliari, Italy. ugolini@tin.it
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hardoy
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hardoy
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Carta
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Cabras
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000588:Amines; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000588:Amines; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin