Acute Psychosis Following Phenelzine Discontinuation

Abstract

Most concern over the untoward effects of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) has concentrated on the hypertensive crises and recently on orthostatic hypotension, hypomania, and sexual dysfunction. However, little has been written about withdrawal effects when MAOIs are discontinued. This article reports an acute organic psychosis marked by visual, auditory, and tactile hallucinations after abrupt discontinuation of phenelzine in two young women without previous history of psychotic symptoms.