[Dependence on anticholinergics among schizophrenics. Iatrogenic disease or self-medication?]

This report concerns two schizophrenic patients who had ingested a biperiden overdose between 8 and 14 mg per day. This drug had been prescribed to treat extrapyramidal side effects of neuroleptics. Once the ingestion was suppressed, both patients complained about anxiety, discomfort and depression. These symptoms disappeared when reintroducing the biperiden. Both patients had a previous record of alcohol and cannabis abuse. One of them had also a recorder of sporadic consumption of other drugs such as heroin, amphetamines and hallucinogens. The predominant psychopathology was of the negative type. Through these cases we intend to support the likelihood of a cholinergic hyperactivity in the negative schizophrenic symptoms.