Successful treatment for psychomotor agitation in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder with trazodone–risperidone combination: a case report

Abstract

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a relapsing disease that typically affects the spinal cord and optic nerves. So far, a few studies have reported pharmacologic treatment for psychiatric symptoms in patients with NMO spectrum disorder (NMOSD). However, no literature has described psychomotor agitation associated with the disease and its treatment. We report an 84-year-old woman with NMOSD whose psychomotor agitation was effectively treated with a combination of trazodone and risperidone. Our observation suggests the ability of augmentation of antipsychotic drugs with antidepressants to ameliorate psychotic symptoms associated with NMOSD.

Successful treatment with olanzapine in severe hallucinatory-paranoid state during the course of treatment of inflammatory demyelination disease: a case report

“…Her catatonia was treated with lorazepam (1.5 mg/day). Finally, an 84-year-old Japanese woman suddenly began to cry loudly and became aggressive toward her husband [10]. She became violent and occasionally slapped him.…”

“…A population-based survey indicated that the prevalence of psychotic disorders in MS patients is approximately 1.5% [7]. In addition, little information Corresponding Author: Norio Yasui-Furukori, MD, PhD, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Hirosaki University, School of Medicine, Hirosaki 036-8562, Japan; Tel: +81-172-39-5066, Fax: +81-172-39-5067, E-mail: yasufuru@hirosaki-u.ac.jp exists regarding neuropsychiatric symptoms in NMOSD patients, although several reports have suggested that neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as paranoia [8], catatonia [9] and psychomotor agitation [10], occur in these patients. In particular, few reports on NMOSD have described a severe hallucinatory-paranoid state similar to that of schizophrenia.…”