Acute akathisia and sodium valproate.

Akathisia is a common and distressing side-effect of a number of psychotropic drugs, including neuroleptic medication. We report the case of a 38-year-old woman who suffers from bipolar affective disorder and developed acute akathisia following the introduction of sodium valproate as a mood stabilizer. The medication regimen at the onset of her akathisia is described and discussed with particular reference to the aetiology of her akathisia. It is not possible to say with certainty if her acute akathisia developed as a sole consequence of sodium valproate treatment or as a consequence of a possible synergistic effect of her other psychotropic medication, but a sodium-valproate-induced functional dopaminergic antagonism mediating her acute akathisia appears likely.