Clozapine for psychosis in Parkinson's disease

Abstract

The clinical efficacy of clozapine, an atypical antipsychotic, in treating levodopa-induced hallucinations was investigated in five patients with Parkinson's disease under open label conditions. Two patients could not tolerate clozapine, even in doses as low as 12.5-25 mg daily, because of extreme sedation. Three patients could tolerate clozapine and experienced improvement or elimination of their hallucinations at doses below 100 mg daily. Despite a significant risk of adverse effects, cautious use of clozapine in low doses may be beneficial for patients with levodopa-induced psychosis who do not respond to more conservative measures.