A case of stuttering due to olanzapine treatment

Abstract

A case of stuttering due to olanzapine treatment Stuttering is defined as a disturbance in time patterning and fluency of speech inappropriate for an individual’s age. The pathophysiology of stuttering is not fully understood. Some studies show that stuttering is related with an increased number of D2 receptors in the basal ganglia. Otherwise, a 50-200% increase in the level of dopaminergic activity has been found in stuttering cases in comparison to the control group. Stuttering as a side-effect of psychotropic medication is rare. Only a few stuttering cases are reported in the literature as being due to effects of antipsychotics like chlorpromazine, clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, or trifluoperazine. Olanzapine is also used to treat the symptoms of stuttering via D2 receptor antagonism, and in the literature there are cases treated with the administration of olanzapine. Here we present a case of olanzapine-induced stuttering. The importance of this case is to show that while olanzapine may be used in the treatment of stuttering, it may also be the cause of stuttering as an adverse effect.