Propranolol-responsive akathisia following acute encephalitis

Objective: The objective of this case report is to highlight the possibility of akathisia in any patient who has recently recovered from encephalitis and now presents with motor restlessness. Methods: We describe a 15-year-old boy presenting with the onset of abnormal and excessive motor restlessness following successful resolution of encephalitis. After thorough investigations and repeated psychiatric examinaton patient was diagnosed as suffering from postencephalitic akathisia. Results: Thioridazine proved of no help. Patient achieved near complete recovery after treatment with propanolol within 2 weeks. Conclusion: Clinician should keep in mind that akathisia can have various etiologies and encephalitis may be the one of them. Propanolol is quite effective in patients with postencephalitic akathisia. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.