Sub-Acute Sclerosing Panencephalitis Presenting as Anti-Depressant Induced Childhood Mania

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a rare, predominantly childhood onset neurological illness that probably results from a latent or mutant measles virus infection of neurons with slowly progressive disease resulting in severe neurological deficit and death.In literature there have been reports of pure psychiatric symptoms as presenting complaints in patients with SSPE.We hereby describe a case of 8 year old boy, who presented with depression and developed symptoms of mania on antidepressant but eventually developed the typical symptoms of SSPE highlighting the importance of keeping in mind the differential diagnosis of organic causes for childhood depression and mania.