低劑量Aripiprazole顯著改善一位思覺失調症女性病人的遲發性運動不能與肌張力不全症狀

Improvement of Tardive Dyskinesia and Tardive Dystonia in a Schizophrenic Female Patient Using Low-dose Aripiprazole

Tardive dyskinesia (TDk) and tardive dystonia (TDt) are linked with much different potential pathophysiology; the exposure to dopamine re-ceptor blocking agent is one of the most popular mechanisms of action . Both occur as late-onset involuntary abnormal movement and posturing. Little is known about the exact biological etiological mechanisms of TDk and TDt. But cholinergic-dopaminergic balance has often been hypothesized in their pathophysiology . An effective and simple treatment is still lacking for those two clinical symptoms. Aripiprazole, a novel antipsychotic, has a unique pharmacological mechanism as a partial agonist at dopamine D2, D3, and 5HT1A receptors, and an antagonist at the 5HT2Areceptor . Some case reports have mentioned the benefit of moderate to high doses of aripiprazole in treating TDk or TDt [4, 5]. Herein, we present a case of a patient whose TDk/TDt almost fully subsided under a low-dose aripiprazole treatment.