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Pitch perception shift: a rare side-effect of carbamazepine
T Kobayashi1, K Nisijima, Y Ehara
1Department of Psychiatry, Jichi Medical School, 3311-1 Minamikawachi, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan. kabakun@jichi.ac.jp
Carbamazepine medication can alter pitch perception, as seen in two patients. One patient with absolute pitch experienced a reversible shift, while another without it developed tolerance to the change.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Auditory Perception
Background:
- Carbamazepine is an anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing drug.
- Adverse effects on auditory perception are infrequently reported.
- Pitch perception is a complex auditory function.
Observation:
- Two cases of altered pitch perception during carbamazepine treatment are presented.
- Case 1: Patient with absolute pitch experienced a shift that resolved upon drug discontinuation.
- Case 2: Patient without absolute pitch developed tolerance to the perceived pitch shift.
Findings:
- Carbamazepine is implicated as the cause of the pitch perception shift in Case 1.
- The absence of absolute pitch in Case 2 may have facilitated adaptation to the auditory alteration.
- Individual differences, such as absolute pitch, may influence the response to carbamazepine-induced auditory effects.
Implications:
- This suggests carbamazepine can induce subtle auditory changes, specifically in pitch perception.
- Clinicians should be aware of potential auditory side effects of carbamazepine.
- Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms and prevalence of carbamazepine-induced pitch shifts.
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