ACUTE DYSTONIA CAUSED BY TETRABENAZINE - WHAT DOES IT TELL US ABOUT PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

A 21-year-old woman with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome developed acut e dystonia 24 h after ingesting 750 mg of tetrabenazine in a suicide a ttempt. The symptoms were rapidly resolved on diazepam and orphenadrin e administration. Acute dystonia caused by tetrabenazine is extremely rare, but may help us understand the pathophysiology of drug-induced d ystonic reactions. We suggest that acute dystonia ire this patient was caused by catecholamine depletion and a subsequently reduced dopamine rgic neurotransmission rather than by dopamine receptor blockade.