Treatment of tardive dyskinesia with vitamin E.
OBJECTIVE
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), a free-radical scavenger, has been reported to improve symptoms of tardive dyskinesia. The authors attempted to replicate this finding under more controlled conditions in a larger study group.


METHODS
Fifteen inpatients and six outpatients with tardive dyskinesia received up to 1600 IU/day of vitamin E for 6 weeks in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) examinations of these patients were videotaped and rated independently by two trained raters. Levels of neuroleptic medication and vitamin E were measured during both treatment periods. Eighteen patients who demonstrated high blood levels of vitamin E were included in the data analysis.


RESULTS
Vitamin E levels were significantly higher while the patients were receiving vitamin E than while they were receiving placebo. For all 18 patients, there were no significant differences between AIMS scores after receiving vitamin E and AIMS scores after receiving placebo. In agreement with previous studies, however, the nine patients who had had tardive dyskinesia for 5 years or less had significantly lower AIMS scores after receiving vitamin E than after receiving placebo. There were no changes in neuroleptic levels during vitamin E treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin E had a minor beneficial effect on tardive dyskinesia ratings in a selected group of patients who had had tardive dyskinesia for 5 years or less. This effect was not due to an increase in blood levels of neuroleptic medications.
Neuropsychiatry Branch, NIMH, Washington, D.C. 20032.
M F
MF
Egan
T M
TM
Hyde
G W
GW
Albers
A
A
Elkashef
R C
RC
Alexander
A
A
Reeve
A
A
Blum
R E
RE
Saenz
R J
RJ
Wyatt
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010808:Physical Examination; D010919:Placebos; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010919:Placebos; D014810:Vitamin E