IMMUNOSUPPRESSANT NEUROTOXICITY IN LIVER-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS - CLINICAL CHALLENGES FOR THE CONSULTATION-LIAISON PSYCHIATRIST

Neuropsychiatric problems are common among liver transplant recipients , and immunosuppressant neurotoxicity is an important etiologic factor in the posttransplant period. Four typical cases of immunosuppressant neurotoxicity are presented from the clinical experience of the Unive rsity of California, Los Angeles-Dumont Liver Transplant program. All patients presented with acute behavioral symptoms and received urgent psychiatric consultation; each proved to be suffering from a variant o f immunosuppressive-related neurotoxicity. Correlative neuroimaging st udies and descriptions of clinical course are included. Psychiatrists are urged to become familiar with the signs, symptoms, differential di agnosis, neuroimaging findings, and management of immunosuppressive ne urotoxicity and secondary psychiatric disorders in solid organ recipie nts.