Prospective evaluation of circulatory levels of catecholamines and serotonin in neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

Objective: Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) may be associated with a dysregulation of the catecholaminergic and serotonergic systems. The objective of the present study was to evaluate prospectively the circulatory levels of serotonin (5-HT), epinephrine (E) and dopa in patients suffering from NMS.

Method: Platelet-poor plasma (PPP) levels of serotonin, epinephrine and dopa in eight NMS patients were measured twice: in the acute state and in the state of remission.

Frequency of neuroleptic malignant syndrome in a large psychiatric hospital in Moscow.

A ten-year prospective survey of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) was performed in a major psychiatric hospital (1,510 beds) in Moscow. All inpatients who developed a persistent and severe extrapyramidal rigidity accompanied by fever after exposure to neuroleptic medication were screened for NMS. The diagnosis of NMS was established according to Levenson's criteria and at a later stage all NMS cases were reevaluated using the DSM-IV research criteria.