title: Rapidly-progressive catatonia responsive to zolpidem in a patient with ovarian teratoma-associated paraneoplastic encephalitis.
abstract: Psychiatric symptoms and catatonia are key components of the clinical presentation of paraneoplastic encephalitis; additionally symptoms can be long-lasting and often difficult to treat. We report a 73-year-old patient with rapidly progressive catatonia not responsive to immunotherapy, tumor resection, electroconvulsive therapy, or benzodiazepines who had significant improvement after zolpidem administration. This report suggests that zolpidem is an option in the treatment of patients with refractory catatonia and paraneoplastic encephalitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Edilberto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Amorim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Washington in Saint Louis, 600 South Euclid, Box 8111, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA. Electronic address: mcdadee@neuro.wustl.edu.
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: McDade
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002389:Catatonia / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D020361:Paraneoplastic Syndromes, Nervous System / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013724:Teratoma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D000077334:Zolpidem
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D011725:Pyridines; D000077334:Zolpidem
keywords: Catatonia; Ovarian teratoma; Paraneoplastic encephalitis; Zolpidem