Antiepileptic drugs in the treatment of neuroleptic-induced supersensitivity psychosis.

1. Supersensitivity psychosis (SSP) has emerged as a potential side-effect of long term neuroleptic therapy similar to tardive dyskinesia. 2. Five schizophrenic patients with SSP and considered to be drug-resistant were treated with antiepileptic drugs. All 5 improved initially, and in three the improvement was maintained at follow-up. 3. The proposed mechanism of action of the antiepileptic drugs is through correcting a pharmacological kindling effect in the limbic system which results from chronic neuroleptic therapy.