Clozapine: weight gain in a pair of monozygotic twins concordant for schizophrenia and mild mental retardation.

Abstract

Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic known to cause considerable weight gain. The extent to which genetic factors determine weight gain is unknown. Here we report on a pair of female monozygotic twins concordant for schizophrenia and mild mental retardation who were treated with clozapine over 5.5 years. One twin gained a total of 53.1 kg and had a weight of 107.5 kg (BMI=38.1 kg/m2) at the end of the observation period. The other twin gained a total of 48.2 kg and finally had a weight of 100.4 kg (BMI=33.8 kg/m2). Because both patients experienced considerable weight gain during treatment, our observation suggests that the antipsychotic-induced weight gain is under strong genetic control.

• Authors: Peter M Wehmeier, Stefan Gebhardt, Jörg Schmidtke, Helmut Remschmidt, Johannes Hebebrand, Frank M Theisen
• Journal: Psychiatry research (Psychiatry Res) Vol. 133 Issue 2-3 Pg. 273-6 (Feb 28 2005) ISSN: 0165-1781 [Print] Ireland
• PMID: 15741002 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Twin Study)

Chemical References

• Antipsychotic Agents
• Clozapine

Topics

• Adult
• Antipsychotic Agents (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Clozapine (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Intellectual Disability (psychology)
• Psychotic Disorders (drug therapy, etiology)
• Schizophrenia (complications)
• Twins, Monozygotic (psychology)
• Weight Gain (drug effects)