Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience: JPN logoLink to Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience: JPN
. 1991 Nov;16(4):227–229.

Rabbit syndrome, antidepressant use, and cerebral perfusion SPECT scan findings.

L Fornazzari 1, M Ichise 1, G Remington 1, I Smith 1
PMCID: PMC1188341  PMID: 1786266

Abstract

The rabbit syndrome is an extrapyramidal side effect associated with chronic neuroleptic therapy. Its occurrence in a patient being treated with imipramine is described, representing the first reported case of this syndrome in conjunction with antidepressants. Repeated cerebral perfusion SPECT scans revealed decreased basal ganglia perfusion while the movement disorder was present, and a return to normal perfusion when the rabbit syndrome resolved.

Full text

PDF
227

Images in this article

228Fig. 1
on p.228

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Alavi A., Hirsch L. J. Studies of central nervous system disorders with single photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography: evolution over the past 2 decades. Semin Nucl Med. 1991 Jan;21(1):58–81. doi: 10.1016/s0001-2998(05)80079-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bajc M., Medved V., Basic M., Topuzovic N., Babic D., Ivancevic D. Acute effect of electroconvulsive therapy on brain perfusion assessed by Tc99m-hexamethylpropyleneamineoxim and single photon emission computed tomography. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1989 Nov;80(5):421–426. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1989.tb03000.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Decina P., Caracci G., Scapicchio P. L. The rabbit syndrome. Mov Disord. 1990;5(3):263–263. doi: 10.1002/mds.870050317. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Deshmukh D. K., Joshi V. S., Agarwal M. R. Rabbit syndrome--a rare complication of long-term neuroleptic medication. Br J Psychiatry. 1990 Aug;157:293–293. doi: 10.1192/bjp.157.2.293. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fann W. E., Sullivan J. L., Richman B. W. Dyskinesias associated with tricyclic antidepressants. Br J Psychiatry. 1976 May;128:490–493. doi: 10.1192/bjp.128.5.490. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Fisher W. J. Electroshock and what it stands for. Can Psychiatr Assoc J. 1972 Feb;17(1):69–70. doi: 10.1177/070674377201700112. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. KLEIN J. J., SEGAL R. L., WARNER R. R. GALACTORRHEA DUE TO IMIPRAMINE. REPORT OF A CASE. N Engl J Med. 1964 Sep 3;271:510–512. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196409032711008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Kronfol Z., Greden J. F., Zis A. P. Imipramine-induced tremor: effects of a beta-adrenergic blocking agent. J Clin Psychiatry. 1983 Jun;44(6):225–226. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Leonard B. E. Pharmacological effects of serotonin reuptake inhibitors. J Clin Psychiatry. 1988 Aug;49 (Suppl):12–17. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Lipinski J. F., Jr, Mallya G., Zimmerman P., Pope H. G., Jr Fluoxetine-induced akathisia: clinical and theoretical implications. J Clin Psychiatry. 1989 Sep;50(9):339–342. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Nagel J. S., Ichise M., Holman B. L. The scintigraphic evaluation of Huntington's disease and other movement disorders using single photon emission computed tomography perfusion brain scans. Semin Nucl Med. 1991 Jan;21(1):11–23. doi: 10.1016/s0001-2998(05)80076-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Neirinckx R. D., Canning L. R., Piper I. M., Nowotnik D. P., Pickett R. D., Holmes R. A., Volkert W. A., Forster A. M., Weisner P. S., Marriott J. A. Technetium-99m d,l-HM-PAO: a new radiopharmaceutical for SPECT imaging of regional cerebral blood perfusion. J Nucl Med. 1987 Feb;28(2):191–202. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. O'Connell R. A., Van Heertum R. L., Billick S. B., Holt A. R., Gonzalez A., Notardonato H., Luck D., King L. N. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with [123I]IMP in the differential diagnosis of psychiatric disorders. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1989 Spring;1(2):145–153. doi: 10.1176/jnp.1.2.145. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Podreka I., Suess E., Goldenberg G., Steiner M., Brücke T., Müller C., Lang W., Neirinckx R. D., Deecke L. Initial experience with technetium-99m HM-PAO brain SPECT. J Nucl Med. 1987 Nov;28(11):1657–1666. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Sovner R., Dimascio A. The effect of benztropine mesylate in the rabbit syndrome and tardive dyskinesia. Am J Psychiatry. 1977 Nov;134(11):1301–1302. doi: 10.1176/ajp.134.11.1301. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Todd R., Lippmann S., Manshadi M., Chang A. Recognition and treatment of rabbit syndrome, an uncommon complication of neuroleptic therapies. Am J Psychiatry. 1983 Nov;140(11):1519–1520. doi: 10.1176/ajp.140.11.1519. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Truong D. D., Hermanowicz N., Mistura K. Rabbit syndrome treated with botulin. South Med J. 1990 Jul;83(7):854–855. doi: 10.1097/00007611-199007000-00038. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Weiss K. J., Ciraulo D. A., Shader R. I. Physostigmine test in the rabbit syndrome and tardive dyskinesia. Am J Psychiatry. 1980 May;137(5):627–628. doi: 10.1176/ajp.137.5.627. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Yassa R., Lal S. Prevalence of the rabbit syndrome. Am J Psychiatry. 1986 May;143(5):656–657. doi: 10.1176/ajp.143.5.656. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Zubenko G. S., Cohen B. M., Lipinski J. F., Jr Antidepressant-related akathisia. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 1987 Aug;7(4):254–257. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience are provided here courtesy of Canadian Science Publishing

RESOURCES