ACUTE ENCEPHALOMYOPATHY AND PERMANENT CER EBELLAR SYNDROME FOLLOWING LITHIUM AND HALOPERIDOL INTOXICATION

A 44-year-old maniacodepressive woman developed acute encephalopathy d ue to the association of lithium carbonate and haloperidol. She was tr eated with lithium salts for many years and the serum level of lithium was within the therapeutic range. The encephalopathy was worsened by hyperthermia, dehydration, and reintroduction of haloperidol, 5 days a fter the first discontinuation of the neuroleptic. The clinical featur es were characterized by a persistent cerebellar syndrome, more than o ne year after the interruption of these medications.