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The Pisa Syndrome: A Report of Two Cases

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Ramzy Yassa*
Affiliation:
McGill University and Douglas Hospital Center, 6875 Lasalle Boulevard, Verdun, Quebec, H4H 1R3, Canada

Extract

Ekbom et al (1972) described dystonic syndromes that appeared as a side-effect to treatment with the butyrophenone group of neuroleptic drugs. These symptoms consisted of tonic flexion of the trunk to one side, accompanied by its slight rotation, in the absence of other concomitant dystonic symptoms. They called this the ‘Pisa syndrome’. A literature survey of neuroleptic-included extrapyramidal side-effects gave little reference to this syndrome (Sovner & DiMascio, 1978; Berger & Rexworth, 1980), but two cases that fit the description of this side-effect are presented here.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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