[Loss of visual acuity after treatment with pipamperone]

The butyrophenone derivative pipamperone is a neuroleptic agent administered to reduce psychomotor agitation and psychotic conditions in schizophrenic psychoses. Among other things it blocks D2 receptors in the dopamine pathways of the mesolimbic system and therefore reduces excess release of dopamine in the area thought to control psychotic experiences. Dopamine also takes part in signal transduction in the visual process. Loss of visual acuity, color vision, scotoma and electrophysiological alterations were observed under treatment with different groups of neuroleptics which interfere with dopamine metabolism but have not yet been observed after therapy with pipamperone. We present the case of a young women suffering from unilateral loss of visual acuity after treatment with pipamperone.