"Ping-pong gaze" secondary to monoamine oxidase inhibitor overdose

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2016

Publication Title

J Pharmacol Pharmacother

Abstract

An infrequent manifestation of monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) toxicity is "ping-pong gaze" (PPG). We describe the case of a 26-year-old female who was found unresponsive after taking 40 tablets of phenelzine. On presentation to the hospital, her eyes were moving in characteristic "ping pong" fashion. After 6 hours her gaze terminated. The following day her neurologic exam was benign and she had no long-term sequelae. While the etiology of PPG is unknown, it is most often seen with irreversible structural brain damage. However, a detailed literature review revealed that previous cases of MAOI toxicity where the patient survived have all had complete neurologic recovery.

PubMed ID

27127395

Volume

7

Issue

1

First Page

34

Last Page

37

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