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“Ping-pong gaze” secondary to monoamine oxidase inhibitor overdose

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: An infrequent manifestation of monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) toxicity is "ping-pong gaze" (PPG). We describe the case of a 26-year-old female who was found unresponsive after taking 40 tablets of phenelzine. On presentation to the hospital, her eyes were moving in characteristic "ping pong" fashion. After 6 hours her gaze terminated. The following day her neurologic exam was benign and she had no long-term sequelae. While the etiology of PPG is unknown, it is most often seen with irreversible structural brain damage. However, a detailed literature review revealed that previous cases of MAOI toxicity where the patient survived have all had complete neurologic recovery.

Source: Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics

DOI: 10.4103/0976-500x.179360

Authors: Amy Attaway, Laila Sroujieh, Tracey L. Mersfelder, Christopher Butler, Daniel Ouellette