Severe depressive mood changes following slow-release intramuscular fluphenazine injection

Sixteen patients in whom schizophrenia was initially diagnosed and who were treated with fluphenazine enanthate or decanoate developed severe depression for a short period after the injection. In five cases this depression is thought to have been responsible for suicide. In 8 out of 10 cases the depression responded to electroplexy (E.C.T.). It is recommended that patients who are treated with fluphenazine should be carefully supervised.