The Mechanism of Drug-induced Akathisia

Anton J. M. Loonen; Stephen M. Stahl

doi:10.1017/S1092852912000107

The Mechanism of Drug-induced Akathisia

Anton J. M. Loonen^*, Stephen M. Stahl

^*Corresponding author for this work

Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

51 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Akathisia is a movement disorder character-
ized by an inner sense of unease, unrest, and dys-
phoria. It can result in an inability to stand, sit, or
lie still, and an intense urge to move around. It is
a common side effect of drugs, such as antipsy-
chotics and serotonin selective reuptake inhibi-
tors (SSRIs), but it also occurs spontaneously in
patients with Parkinson’s disease. Several lines of
evidence suggest that akathisia can be attributed
to low activity of dopaminergic projections from
the midbrain to the ventral striatum. However,
the exact pathophysiological mechanism of this
extrapyramidal symptom remains unclear. This
article describes a possible mechanism for drug-
induced akathisia based on the differential func-
tions of the core and shell portions of the nucleus
accumbens. These ideas arise from contemporary
concepts regarding the mechanisms of compul-
sion, impulsivity, and depression.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	7-10
Number of pages	4
Journal	Cns spectrums
Volume	16
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S1092852912000107
Publication status	Published - Jan-2011

Keywords

TARDIVE-DYSKINESIA
PREFRONTAL CORTEX
HUMAN BRAIN
SYSTEMS
DOPAMINE
DISORDER

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KW - DOPAMINE

KW - DISORDER

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The Mechanism of Drug-induced Akathisia

Abstract

Keywords

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