title: A case of severe psychosis induced by novel recreational drugs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of novel recreational drugs is becoming of public interest, especially after recent international alerts about their cardiovascular and neurological toxicity. Additionally, little is known about the psychiatric consequences of the long-term use of these compounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe a case of severe psychotic episode likely induced by chronic use of a combination of new recreational drugs (methylenedioxypyrovalerone, mephedrone, butylone and alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone). The patient had no psychiatric history and showed poor response to conventional antipsychotic treatment (haloperidol).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case illustrates the potential negative effects of recreational drugs that cannot be limited to an acute psychotic episode but might determine a condition of prolonged paranoid psychosis. Although the use of these compounds is currently increasing, such molecules might often pass undetected in patients accessing the emergency room, leading to misdiagnosis (e.g. schizophrenic episode) and lack of appropriate treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dragogna
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oldani
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: A Carlo
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Altamura