Sertraline treatment for paroxysmal nonkinesigenic dyskinesia comorbid with anxiety and depression

Familial paroxysmal non-kinesigenic dyskinesia, which is a major form of paroxysmal dyskinesias, is characterized by intermittent attacks that include one side, subsequently spreading to the other side, involving the limbs and face, and is triggered by caffeine, alcohol, emotional stress, fatigue, and sleep deprivation, but not by sudden movement. A 26-year-old man had experienced dystonic movements and a choreiform right arm spreading to his arms, legs, and face since the age of one year. Oral dyskinesias and, rarely, dysarthria were also observed. Attacks lasting approximately five minutes occurred several times per day. Over three generations, his family members inherited a c.26C > T (p. Ala9Val) missense mutation in exon 1 of PNKD/MR-1 in an autosomal dominant manner and reported similar symptoms with clinical manifestations ranging from mild to severe. His scores on the Self-Rating Depression Scale, State–Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Profile of Mood States were high. This suggests that the patient also had comorbidities of anxiety and depression. The patient's attacks decreased from two times per week to once every two months, and his State–Trait Anxiety Inventory score decreased by 5–10 points on treatment with clonazepam and sertraline, allowing his condition to become stable enough that he was able to participate in society. Drug therapy with clonazepam and sertraline is the preferred treatment for reducing attacks in PNKD patients with strong anxiety and depression.