The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of alprazolam on the stress that Korean raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis) may experience while caught in a live trap by measuring their serum cortisol response. The animals were placed in a live trap with or without being pretreated with oral doses of alprazolam. In both groups, pre-trap blood samples were initially collected without anesthesia before the animals were positioned in the live trap; then post-trap blood samples were collected after the animals had remained in the live trap for 2 h. Changes in cortisol levels were observed using a chemiluminescent immunoassay. The level of cortisol increased in the control group and decreased in the alprazolam-pretreatment group (p < 0.05). In this study, we demonstrated that alprazolam pretreatment reduced stress during live trap capture.
Alprazolam/*therapeutic use ; Animals ; Anti-Anxiety Agents/*therapeutic use ; Anxiety/*drug therapy ; Hydrocorti ; *Raccoon Dogs ; Republic of Korea ; Restraint, Physical/*veterinary

Parkinson’s disease is often complicated by psychiatric symptoms. Psychiatrists are caught in a dilemma between such symptoms and physical treatment since Parkinson’s disease sometimes shows treatment resistance based on pharmacological treatment-induced dopamine dysfunction. Here, we report on a 64-year-old woman with a 15-year history of Parkinson’s disease with stage IV severity based on the Hoehn and Yahr scale. She was admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder with psychotic features. Unfortunately, her treatment course for depression was complicated by neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Because we were concerned about the persistence of her depressive symptoms, the risk of psychotropic drugs causing adverse effects, and progressive disuse syndrome, we administered modified electroconvulsive therapy. Her symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome and depression sufficiently improved after five sessions of modified electroconvulsive therapy. Additionally, the primary motor symptoms of her Parkinson’s disease also markedly improved. The improvement of neuroleptic malignant syndrome and her motor symptoms based on dopamine dysfunction can be explained by electroconvulsive therapy’s effectiveness in activating dopamine neurotransmission. Besides, the marked improvement of her depressive episode with psychotic features was presumed to involve dopamine receptor activation and regulation. Because advanced Parkinson’s disease can sometimes be refractory to treatment based on pharmacological treatment-induced dopamine dysfunction, psychiatrists often have difficulty treating psychiatric symptoms; electroconvulsive therapy may stabilize the dopaminergic system in such cases, presenting a possible non-pharmacologic treatment option for Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease is often complicated by psychiatric symptoms. Psychiatrists are caught in a dilemma between such symptoms and physical treatment since Parkinson’s disease sometimes shows treatment resistance based on pharmacological treatment-induced dopamine dysfunction. Here, we report on a 64-year-old woman with a 15-year history of Parkinson’s disease with stage IV severity based on the Hoehn and Yahr scale. She was admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder with psychotic features. Unfortunately, her treatment course for depression was complicated by neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Because we were concerned about the persistence of her depressive symptoms, the risk of psychotropic drugs causing adverse effects, and progressive disuse syndrome, we administered modified electroconvulsive therapy. Her symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome and depression sufficiently improved after five sessions of modified electroconvulsive therapy. Additionally, the primary motor symptoms of her Parkinson’s disease also markedly improved. The improvement of neuroleptic malignant syndrome and her motor symptoms based on dopamine dysfunction can be explained by electroconvulsive therapy’s effectiveness in activating dopamine neurotransmission. Besides, the marked improvement of her depressive episode with psychotic features was presumed to involve dopamine receptor activation and regulation. Because advanced Parkinson’s disease can sometimes be refractory to treatment based on pharmacological treatment-induced dopamine dysfunction, psychiatrists often have difficulty treating psychiatric symptoms; electroconvulsive therapy may stabilize the dopaminergic system in such cases, presenting a possible non-pharmacologic treatment option for Parkinson’s disease.