2021 AM Posters-Chronic Synthetic Marijuana Use A Case of First-Onset Seizures

Chronic Synthetic Marijuana Use A Case of First-Onset Seizures - 1

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This document discusses a case report of a 44-year-old male who presented to the emergency department after having two seizures. The patient had a known history of daily synthetic marijuana use and was attempting to decrease his usage. The patient's girlfriend noticed periods of difficulty word-finding prior to the seizures. The patient had a negative MRI and EEG, and no further seizures during hospitalization. However, there were residual changes in the patient's signature noted. The patient was started on Keppra twice daily after counseling regarding the risks versus benefits due to the two unprovoked seizures.<br /><br />Synthetic marijuana, also known as "mojo," "K2," or "spice," is a man-made chemical that some people use as an alternative to marijuana. Even one-time use of synthetic marijuana can lead to seizures in new users. In chronic use, structural changes in neurons have been observed, although no specific neurological symptoms have been noted.<br /><br />The scientific findings suggest that seizures associated with synthetic marijuana use are more common with occasional use or with specific brands of synthetic marijuana that affect an individual's threshold differently. Withdrawal syndrome from synthetic marijuana use is characterized by symptoms such as tachycardia, irritation, anxiety, and mood swings, which are usually seen with chronic use. However, seizures as a withdrawal symptom have not been reported in the literature.<br /><br />In this case, withdrawal from decreased synthetic cannabinoid use was considered as the cause of the patient's first seizure. Proper counseling was given regarding anti-epileptic drugs, and the patient was started on medication with the plan to taper off in six months. This case highlights the possibility of seizures being associated with synthetic marijuana withdrawal syndrome and emphasizes the importance of including this information in patient counseling.<br /><br />Overall, this case report provides insight into the potential neurological effects of synthetic marijuana use and withdrawal.

Keywords

case report

44-year-old male

seizures

synthetic marijuana

word-finding difficulty

MRI

EEG

Keppra

withdrawal syndrome

neurological effects

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