SEROTONIN SYNDROME FROM ANTIDEPRESSANT OV ERDOSE

We report a case of severe serotonin syndrome after self-poisoning wit h two antidepressant drugs, paroxetine (a selective inhibitor of serot onin reuptake) and moclobemide (a reversible inhibitor of MAO-A). The serotonin syndrome is characterized by neuromuscular, behavioural, and autonomic changes. It occurs with the use of drugs able to increase s erotonergic transmission in brain by acting on biosynthesis, reuptake, catabolism or release of serotonin. Treatment is symptomatic, The inc idence of severe cases seems to have increased, probably due to the us e of new antidepressant ''specific'' inhibitors of the serotonin reupt ake.