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Updated: Mar 22, 2026

A Plate-Based Assay for the Measurement of Endogenous Monoamine Release in Acute Brain Slices
Published on: August 11, 2021
"Ping-pong gaze" secondary to monoamine oxidase inhibitor overdose
Amy Attaway1, Laila Sroujieh2, Tracey L Mersfelder3
1Department of Pulmonary Critical Care, University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Abstract:
An infrequent manifestation of monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) toxicity is "ping-pong gaze" (PPG). We describe the case of a 26-year-old female who was found unresponsive after taking 40 tablets of phenelzine. On presentation to the hospital, her eyes were moving in characteristic "ping pong" fashion. After 6 hours her gaze terminated. The following day her neurologic exam was benign and she had no long-term sequelae. While the etiology of PPG is unknown, it is most often seen with irreversible structural brain damage. However, a detailed literature review revealed that previous cases of MAOI toxicity where the patient survived have all had complete neurologic recovery.
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