[The concept of supersensitivity psychosis. The particular case of clozapine]

Encephale. 1999 Nov-Dec;25(6):638-44.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Neuroleptics are the main biological treatment for psychotic patients. The brutal withdrawal of a neuroleptic treatment may induce an important aggravation of the psychotic symptoms. A few of those relapses may occur very early after the interruption of treatment; they are often associated with a modification of the symptoms and an unfavorable evolution in the course of the illness. Using those clinical observations a few authors have developed the concept of supersensitivity psychosis to explain those kinds of relapses and to formulate hypothesis about tolerance and resistance to neuroleptics. They focus on the possible correlation between supersensitivity psychosis and tardive dyskinesia. We report three cases of a dramatic aggravation of the psychotic symptomatology following the withdrawal of clozapine in three schizophrenic patients resistant to classical neuroleptic treatment. According to the clinical data and to the physiopathological hypothesis, the concept of supersensitivity psychosis can have implications in the therapeutic management of resistant schizophrenic patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antipsychotic Agents / adverse effects*
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Catatonia / chemically induced
  • Clozapine / adverse effects*
  • Clozapine / therapeutic use
  • Dissociative Disorders / chemically induced
  • Drug Tolerance
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Psychomotor Disorders / chemically induced
  • Psychoses, Substance-Induced / diagnosis
  • Psychoses, Substance-Induced / etiology*
  • Recurrence
  • Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / diagnosis*

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Clozapine