Acute akathisia and sodium valproate

Akathisia is a common and distressing side-effect of a number of psychotrop ic drugs, including neuroleptic medication. We report the case of a 38-year -old woman who suffers from bipolar affective disorder and developed acute akathisia following the introduction Of sodium valproate as a mood stabiliz er. The medication regimen at the onset of her akathisia is described and d iscussed with particular reference to the aetiology of her akathisia. It is not possible to say with certainty if her acute akathisia developed as a s ole consequence of sodium valproate treatment or as a consequence of a poss ible synergistic effect of her other psychotropic medication, but a sodium- valproate-induced functional dopaminergic antagonism mediating her acute ak athisia appears likely.