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Antidepressant therapeutic effect of mianserin‐induced generalized tonic‐clonic seizure in an elderly patient
Author(s) -
Rosenthal Michal,
Schwartz Sima,
Shapira Edy,
Mester Roberto
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.930100511
Subject(s) - electroconvulsive therapy , mianserin , convulsion , antidepressant , tonic (physiology) , seizure threshold , psychology , anesthesia , medicine , epilepsy , psychiatry , anticonvulsant , neuroscience , electroconvulsive shock , anxiety
Generalized tonic‐clinic seizures may appear as a side‐effect of all antidepressant drugs, including mianserin. We present here a case of an 83‐year‐old woman whose major depressive episode (superimposed on mild dementia) completely resolved following a generalized tonic‐clonic seizure. The improvement, which was maintained for 3 months, may be attributable to the drug‐induced single convulsion. It would be of interest to know whether other psychiatrists have had similar experiences concerning an immediate antidepressant effect to a single tonic‐clonic seizure (drug‐induced or provoked by electroconvulsive therapy). If a subgroup of patients responsive to single generalized tonic‐clonic seizure were to exist (especially among elderly patients), it would allow them to receive a minimal number of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) sessions, decreasing the probability of the appearance of ECT side‐effects.