Psychosomatics 46:334-339, August 2005
© 2005 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine
Fluoxetine for Vestibular Dysfunction and Anxiety: A Prospective Pilot Study
Naomi M. Simon, M.D., M.Sc.,
Stephen W. Parker, M.D.,
Mara Wernick-Robinson, P.T., M.S., N.C.S.,
Julia E. Oppenheimer, B.A.,
Elizabeth A. Hoge, M.D.,
John J. Worthington, M.D.,
Nicole B. Korbly, B.A., and
Mark H. Pollack, M.D.
Received May 18, 2004; revision received Sept. 23, 2004; accepted Oct. 18, 2004. From Massachusetts General Hospital. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Simon, Associate Director, Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Related Disorders, Massachusetts General Hospital, WACC 815, 15 Parkman St., Boston, MA 02114; nsimon{at}partners.org (e-mail).
Anxiety states and disorders amplify the symptoms and impairment associated with vestibular dysfunction. Five patients with inner ear vestibular dysfunction and anxiety were prospectively treated with fluoxetine, 20–60 mg/day, and received an extensive battery of assessments at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. Fluoxetine led to significant or near significant reductions in anxiety measures and in impairment due to dizziness; improvements in clinical balance function and vestibular function were less clear. The data add to the literature suggesting a role for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in the treatment of dizziness and anxiety.
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