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Propranolol-responsive akathisia following acute encephalitis
Rakesh Goyal1, R Chandrasekaran, M Rajiv Nanda
1Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India. rakeshpsy@yahoo.co.in
General Hospital Psychiatry
|May 9, 2007
Summary
This case report details a teen with motor restlessness after encephalitis. Propranolol effectively treated this post-encephalitic akathisia, unlike thioridazine.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Case Reports
Background:
- Encephalitis can lead to diverse neurological sequelae.
- Motor restlessness, or akathisia, is a potential post-encephalitic complication.
Observation:
- A 15-year-old boy developed significant motor restlessness after recovering from encephalitis.
- Initial psychiatric assessments confirmed akathisia, termed postencephalitic akathisia.
Findings:
- Thioridazine was ineffective in managing the patient's symptoms.
- Propranolol treatment resulted in near-complete recovery within two weeks.
Implications:
- Clinicians should consider encephalitis as a potential cause of akathisia.
- Propranolol demonstrates significant efficacy in treating postencephalitic akathisia.
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