Citalopram-induced parkinsonian syndrome: case report

To draw attention on citalopram as a possible cause of movement disorders.

Case report of a patient with sudden-onset bilateral parkinsonian syndrome after administration of citalopram.

We describe a 67-year-old woman who developed sudden-onset bilateral rigidity, bradykinesia, resting and postural tremor, and typical parkinsonian gait 2 weeks after citalopram was administered. After discontinuation of citalopram, full recovery was observed, with a 4/108 score on the motor subscale of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale. Use of the Naranjo Adverse Drug Reactions Probability Scale indicated a probable (score of 8) adverse reaction of sudden-onset parkinsonism associated with citalopram consumption.

Physicians should be aware of possible parkinsonism as adverse reaction in patient taking citalopram because recognition and appropriate management can enable proper treatment and prevent serious adverse outcomes.