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We evaluated the effect of chronic haloperidol treatment (0.5-2 mg/kg/day, 21 day) on amygdala-generating seizures using a kindling procedure induced by low frequency electrical stimulations. The number of stimulating pulses required for triggering of epileptic afterdischarge (pulse-number threshold; PNT) is the indicator of the seizure generating threshold. A PNT decrease occurred, followed by a PNT increase toward the pre-treatment level during high-dose, chronic haloperidol treatment. A PNT increase occurred, followed by a PNT decrease toward the pre-treatment level during the withdrawal period after the high-dose treatment. A decrease of the triggered seizure duration occurred during the high-dose treatment. These results indicate that a transient decrease of seizure generating threshold occurs during chronic haloperidol treatment, and withdrawal of the drug is followed by what appears to be a rebound phenomenon. We suggest that this effect might be related to the antipsychotic potency and associated neurochemical changes known to be caused by chronic haloperidol treatment.

The following describes a 76-year-old male with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome successfully treated with a Kampo-formula, San'o-shashin-to (Formula medicamentorum tres ad dispellendi cordis). Polysomnography, performed before and after administration of San'o-shashin-to, revealed that the apnea index decreased from 11.1 events/hour to 4.1 events/hour, and that the apnea plus hypopnea index decreased from 18.4 events/hour to 10.7 events/hour. The patient was normo-weight (body mass index: 20.4 kg/m 2 ), and events of sleep apnea and hypopnea were mostly noted during a non-rapid eye movement sleep. It is possible that San'o-shashin-to has some alleviating effects on the upper airway resistence during sleep.

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