Suicidal, violent, and treatment-resistant
Mr. T, age 52, has a long history of schizoaffective disorder, suicide attempts, and violence. Could an underlying medical condition be contributing to his treatment resistance?
Bottom Line
Several studies have shown that neuroinflammation increases the severity of mental illness. Consider adjunct anti-inflammatory agents for patients who have elevated levels of inflammatory biomarkers and for whom standard treatment approaches do not adequately control psychiatric symptoms. Also consider testing for the presence of latent infections in the CNS, which could reveal the underlying cause of treatment resistance or the genesis of disabling psychiatric symptoms.
Related Resources
- Fond G, Macgregor A, Tamouza R, et al. Comparative analysis of anti-toxoplasmic activity of antipsychotic drugs and valproate. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2014;264(2):179-183.
- Hamdani N, Daban-Huard C, Lajnef M, et al. Cognitive deterioration among bipolar disorder patients infected by Toxoplasma gondii is correlated to interleukin 6 levels. J Affect Disord. 2015;179:161-166.
- Monroe JM, Buckley PF, Miller BJ. Meta-analysis of antitoxoplasma gondii IgM antibodies in acute psychosis. Schizophr Bull. 2015;41(4):989-998.
Drug Brand Names
Acyclovir • Zovirax
Aripiprazole • Abilify
Bupropion • Wellbutrin
Buspirone • Buspar
Clozapine • Clozaril
Duloxetine • Cymbalta
Fluphenazine • Prolixin
Fluvoxamine • Luvox
Gabapentin • Neurontin
Haloperidol • Haldol
Lithium • Eskalith, Lithobid
Lorazepam • Ativan
Loxapine • Loxitane
Minocycline • Minocin
Olanzapine • Zyprexa
Paliperidone • Invega
Paroxetine • Paxil
Quetiapine • Seroquel
Risperidone • Risperdal, Risperdal Consta
Thioridazine • Mellaril
Trifluoperazine • Stelazine
Trazodone • Desyrel
Valproic acid • Depakote
Ziprasidone • Geodon
