Nocturnal akathisia in Parkinson's disease: treatment with clozapine

We present the results obtained using low doses of clozapine (mean dose 26.4 mg at bedtime) in the treatment of nocturnal akathisia in nine patients with Parkinson's disease for a mean period of 12.5 months. The results were excellent in all the patients. Furthermore, three patients experienced a remarkable improvement in rest tremor and in five patients the confusional state that accompanied the akathisia also disappeared. No serious side-effects were observed. We believe that clozapine is a very useful drug for the relief of nocturnal akathisia in parkinsonian subjects.