PSYCHOTOXIC EFFECTS OF BENZHEXOL HYDROCHLORIDE (ARTANE)

The contrast between reported incidences of 2% to 19.2% in neurological practice, and a virtual absence in psychiatric applications is discussed. Attention is drawn to the abuse of Artane by adolescents because of its hallucinogenic properties. Reports of episodes of severe pathological excitement following self-administered benzhexol are reviewed, and 2 further cases involving doses of 42 mg and 150 mg are described, confirmed by qualitative detection in the urine. In 1 case a lack of correlation between eeg pattern and behavioral arousal is demonstrated. Comparisons are made with similar acute psychoses, and a possible neuro-physiological basis for the salient psychiatric symptoms is suggested.