Obsessive-compulsive symptoms during treatment with clozapine

Purpose: Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic agent for the treatment of schizophrenic patients whose symptoms do not respond to traditional antipsychotic drugs. The emergence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms during treatment of clozapine has been reported in some case studies. We report on the case of a 31-year old man with chronic schizophrenia who had shown obsessive-compulsive symptoms during treatment with clozapine. Results: A 31-year old patient with treatment refractory schizophrenia was treated with clozapine. During clozapine treatment, positive symptomatology decreased, but after 4 months after starting clozapine the patient showed obsessive and compulsive symptoms. This symptomatology had previously not been a feature of this patient's illness. Conclusions: Obsessive-compulsive symptoms were observed during treatment of clozapine in a schizophrenic patient. This may be explained either by the serotonin-receptor antagonism of clozapine or its atypical dopaminergic receptor effects.