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Related Experiment Video

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Transauricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Electroencephalographic Assessment in Disorders of Consciousness

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Published on: July 11, 2025

Visual hallucinations associated with varenicline: a case report.

B Mahendri Raidoo¹, Eric C Kutscher

¹Department of Psychiatry, Sanford School of Medicine, The University of South Dakota Sioux Falls, SD 57108 USA.

Journal of Medical Case Reports

|October 16, 2009

Summary

Varenicline is a smoking cessation aid, but its use in patients with mental illness is not well-studied. This case report details visual hallucinations in a patient with pre-existing psychiatric conditions during varenicline treatment.

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Area of Science:

Psychiatry
Pharmacology
Addiction Medicine

Background:

Varenicline is a common smoking cessation medication with proven efficacy in general populations.
Clinical trials for varenicline have historically excluded individuals with mental illness.
Case reports suggest potential psychiatric side effects associated with varenicline use.

Purpose of the Study:

To report a case of visual hallucinations in a patient with pre-existing mental illness treated with varenicline.
To highlight the potential risks of varenicline in psychiatric populations.

Main Methods:

A case study of a 61-year-old male with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and alcohol dependence.
Varenicline was prescribed as part of a dual diagnosis treatment program.
Symptoms were monitored during medication titration and upon discontinuation.

Main Results:

The patient developed visual hallucinations that intensified with increasing doses of varenicline.
These psychiatric symptoms completely resolved after discontinuing the medication.

Conclusions:

Individuals with mental illness have a high rate of nicotine dependence and require smoking cessation support.
Varenicline's safety and efficacy in psychiatric populations are not well-established.
Healthcare providers should exercise caution and counsel patients with mental illness about potential psychiatric risks when prescribing varenicline.