Aripiprazole Improved Post-Streptococcal Dyskinesia by Modulating Dopaminergic Activity: A Case Report

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Movement Disorders

Background:

• Functional movement disorder (FMD) can manifest with involuntary movements like dyskinesia.
• Streptococcal infections have been implicated in the pathophysiology of some FMD cases.
• Dopamine system dysregulation in the basal ganglia is a potential mechanism underlying FMD-associated dyskinesia.

Observation:

• A patient presented with dyskinesia following a streptococcal infection, diagnosed with functional movement disorder.
• Baseline [18F] N -(3-Fluoropropyl)-2β-carbon ethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane positron emission tomography (PET) revealed dopamine hyperactivity in the basal ganglia.
• The patient was treated with aripiprazole, a dopamine partial agonist.

Findings:

• Aripiprazole treatment led to the normalization of dopamine hyperactivity in the basal ganglia, as evidenced by follow-up PET scans.
• The patient's dyskinetic movements significantly improved following aripiprazole administration.
• The results suggest a direct correlation between normalized dopamine activity and symptom resolution.

Implications:

• Aripiprazole may be a viable therapeutic option for managing dyskinesia in specific functional movement disorder cases.
• Modulating dopamine pathways in the basal ganglia offers a potential treatment strategy for neuro-psychiatric conditions.
• Further research into the neurobiological underpinnings of FMD and the role of dopamine is warranted.