sertraline induced hemichorea

• DOI: 10.7916/d8xk999f
• Publication Date: 2017-12-18
• Authors: Gatto, Emilia; Aldinio, Victoria; Parisi, Virginia; Persi, Gabriel; Da Prat, Gustavo; Bullrich, Maria Bres; Sanchez, Pilar; Rojas, Galeno
• Keywords: Hemichorea-hemiballism; Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced; Case study; Diseases of the musculoskeletal system; Case Reports; Diagnosis, Differential; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Chorea; Sertraline; Tremor; Humans; Sertraline-induced hemichorea; RC346-429; Serotonin uptake inhibitors; Aged; Depressive Disorder; Dyskinesias; Hemichorea; 3. Good health; RC925-935; Neurology; Female; Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Background: Hemichorea–hemiballism is a syndrome secondary to different etiologies. Drug-induced hemichorea is a rare syndrome related to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. To the best of our knowledge, no previous cases of hemichorea associated with sertraline have been reported. Case Report: A 65-year-old female noticed hemichorea 1 week after initiation of sertraline. After extensive investigations, other causes of hemichorea were excluded. Hemichorea remitted after sertraline withdrawal. Discussion: In our patient, temporal association and the negative clinical assessment supported a diagnosis of likely drug-induced involuntary movement. We hypothesized that enhanced serotonergic transmission in the ventral tegmental area or nigrostriatum may be involved in sertraline-induced hemichorea.