Clin Neuropharmacol 2003 Jan-Feb;26(1):5-7
Goeb JL, Cailleau A, Laine P, Etcharry-Bouyx F, Maugin D, Duverger
P, Gohier B, Rannou-Dubas K, Dubas F, Garre JB.
Adverse effects of interferon (IFN) treatment are common, and efforts to minimize these reactions are of considerable importance.
IFN-beta-1a is an established therapy for patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS).
Its psychiatric side effects are debated and not yet fully established.
The authors report here the case of a patient on IFN-beta-1a therapy for MS who developed acute delirium, delusion, and depression that ceased with treatment discontinuation.
Although he had a history of recurrent major depressive disorder, his prior psychiatric illness had followed a course that was clinically independent of other signs of MS.
This observation points out psychiatric vulnerability of patients taking IFN-beta-1a therapy for MS and suggests that IFN-beta-1a may induce or exacerbate preexisting psychotic symptoms.