An aripiprazole discontinuation syndrome

Major depression is a common and debilitating illness. Over recent years, new pharmacologic treatments have been approved for this disorder, including the atypical antipsychotics. One of the benefits of these medications is their significant efficacy as augmenting agents for unipolar, nonpsychotic major depressive disorder (MDD).Aripiprazole (marketed as Abilify, Bristol-Myers Squibb/ Otsuka Pharmaceuticals) was the first medication of this class approved for adjunctive treatment of MDD, and is the 5th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States in 2010. However, despite the frequency of its use, little has been described regarding events surrounding aripiprazole discontinuation. Here I describe what is, to my knowledge, the first reported case of an aripiprazole discontinuation syndrome. While directly relevant to psychiatrists and behavioral specialists, the symptoms described here are pertinent for internists and neurologists who may encounter this medication in their clinical practice.