Does antipsychotic withdrawal provoke psychosis? Review of the literature on rapid onset psychosis (supersensitivity psychosis) and withdrawal-related relapse.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the evidence that discontinuation of long-term antipsychotic medication, including clozapine, may provoke a psychotic episode.


METHODS
Databases were searched and citations scrutinised.


RESULTS
Evidence for a rapid onset psychosis (supersensitivity psychosis) following clozapine withdrawal was found and weaker evidence that this might occur with some other antipsychotic drugs. Some cases were reported in people without a psychiatric history. It appears that the psychosis may be a feature of drug withdrawal rather than the re-emergence of an underlying illness, at least in some patients. Meta-analyses of withdrawal studies have suggested that antipsychotic discontinuation may also increase the risk of relapse over and above the risk because of the underlying disorder, but not all individual studies show this effect. Mechanisms may relate to brain adaptations to long-term drug use but data are sparse.


CONCLUSIONS
These effects require further urgent research. Interventions to reduce morbidity after drug withdrawal need to be developed.
Moncrieff
J
J
Department of Mental Health Science, University College London, London, UK. j.moncrieff@ucl.ac.uk
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003024:Clozapine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D011605:Psychoses, Substance-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003024:Clozapine