[Clinical picture and course of the neuroleptic malignant syndrome (acute febrile neuroleptic encephalopathy)].

On the basis of their observations and management of 23 cases of the neuroleptic malignant syndrome (MNS) the authors draw a conclusion that this syndrome is similar to extrapyramidal-psychotic side effects of neuroleptic therapy. Different variants of the course of this complication of neuroleptic therapy attended by hyperthermia are considered. The authors propose the term 'acute febrile neuroleptic therapy' which incorporates all hyperthermic variants of the course of this complication of neuroleptic therapy, varying from mild transitory one to the MNS. Criteria of the early diagnosis are presented.