Miyashita H, Saito T, Sasaki Y, Ishigaki H, Ikemoto M, Nakano N, Midorikawa Y, Toki S, Watanabe M, Takahata N
Division of Psychoneurology, Mikasa Civic Hospital, Japan.
Nihon Arukoru Yakubutsu Igakkai Zasshi. 1996 Apr;31(2):146-54.
A case of psychosis accompanied with variable symptoms induced by chronic volatile solvent inhalation is reported in this study. The patient was a 27-year-old male who had abused volatile solvents for 15 years, and was sent to the hospital because of a tonic-clonic seizure. Severe psychomotor excitement was observed on the first day and the 7th day after admission. After 10 days of admission, we observed visual transformation and hyperthermia, which suggested acute toxic symptoms due to a volatile solvent. Furthermore, symptoms such as incoherence, delusions of persecution, and catalepsy were also observed in this case. There have been few reports of multiple neurological and mental symptoms appearing in cases of volatile solvent psychosis. Although we sometimes experience cases of solvent abuse with acute mental symptoms and recurrent excitement after sedation, such symptoms are not always observed because of flashback in the strict sense. Therefore, careful early treatment should be employed to prevent 'secondary excitement'.
