The rabbit syndrome: state of the art.
BACKGROUND
The rabbit syndrome (RS) is a rare movement disorder generally associated with prolonged use of antipsychotics and characterized by inwilling, rhythmic, fast and fine movements of oral and masticatory muscles along the vertical axis of the mouth.


BACKGROUND
The prevalence of RS ranges between 1.5% and 4.4%; middle and elderly ages, the female gender, as well as past brain injuries are considered risk factors for its development.


METHODS
Although a dysbalance of the cholinergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission in the basal ganglia seems to be involved in the pathophysiology of RS, its precise mechanisms need to be clarified as yet. RELATIONSHIPS WITH ANTIPSYCHOTICS: Fifty cases of RS have been published up-to-now: 34 and 10 occurred during treatments with typical and atypical antipsychotics, respectively, while 6 seemed unrelated to these drugs.


METHODS
The differential diagnosis between RS and tardive dyskinesias involving the mouth may be based mainly on the evidence that in these last conditions the movements of the mouth are less regular and slower and involve the tongue. Treatment strategy: The available data suggest that RS responds favourably to anticholinergic drugs and to the change of the antipsychotic.
Catena
Mario
M
Dipartimento di Psichiatria, Neurobiologia, Farmacologia e Biotecnologie, University of Pisa, via Roma 67, 56100, Pisa, Italy. catena.mario@virgilio.it
Fagiolini
Andrea
A
Consoli
Giorgio
G
Ducci
Francesca
F
Carlini
Marina
M
Picchetti
Michela
M
Marazziti
Donatella
D
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D013577:Syndrome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents