Treatment of myoclonic syndromes with paroxetine alone or combined with 5-HTP

Abstract

Paroxetine is a specific presynaptic 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor which ameliorated posthypoxic intention myoclonus in 2 out of 3 patients, when given alone or in combination with L-5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) with carbidopa. The concentration of 5-HT in the cerebrospinal fluid from 1 patient was only 3 nmol/l despite the presence of 600 nmol/l of 5-HTP during steady state treatment with the amino acid and paroxetine. No effect of the combined medication was found in 2 patients disordered by palatal myoclonus.