olanzapine and Psychophysiologic-Disorders

Psychogenic tremor is a variant of psychogenic movement disorder. Psychogenic tremor often starts in an abrupt manner and affects voluntary motor function, rapidly reaching maximum impairment for the patient. Patients often present with comorbid psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety and personality disorders. Overall prognosis is poor, with 80 to 90 percent of patients symptomatic after one year. The authors present the case of a 33-year-old woman who experienced an acute episode of psychogenic tremor. They review the literature on psychiatric and neurologic manifestations of psychogenic tremor, consider diagnostic and treatment implications and discuss overall prognosis of recovery for patients afflicted with psychogenic tremor.

Topics: Adult; Antidepressive Agents; Antipsychotic Agents; Benzodiazepines; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Depressive Disorder, Major; Drug Therapy, Combination; Duloxetine Hydrochloride; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Olanzapine; Psychophysiologic Disorders; Thiophenes; Tremor

Self-inflicted dermatoses are often difficult to treat. We present three patients with excoriated acne, self-induced skin ulcers, and trichotillomania, respectively, whose symptoms responded favorably to a 2- to 4-week course of the atypical antipsychotic olanazpine at a dosage of 2.5 to 5.0 mg daily. In two of three patients, the efficacy of the olanzapine was most likely related to an attenuation of dissociative symptoms that were associated with the self-induced skin ulcers and trichotillomania.

Topics: Acne Vulgaris; Adult; Antipsychotic Agents; Benzodiazepines; Female; Humans; Olanzapine; Pirenzepine; Psychophysiologic Disorders; Skin Diseases; Skin Ulcer; Trichotillomania