Buspirone in the treatment of tardive dyskinesia.
Eight patients with mild to severe tardive dyskinesia (TD) were treated for 12 weeks with buspirone in dosages of up to 180 mg/day in an open-label study. Changes in TD severity were assessed by the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale. The rater was blind to buspirone dosage. Buspirone was well tolerated by most subjects. A within-subjects comparison of pretreatment and post-treatment Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale scores revealed a mean improvement of 4.4 (p < 0.01). Improvement was also observed in neuroleptic-induced extrapyramidal side effects such as parkinsonism and akathisia. Scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale did not change during the 12-week study. The results of this open-label pilot study suggest that relatively high doses of buspirone may be efficacious in the treatment of TD.
Moss
L E
LE
Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, St. Louis, MO 63110.
Neppe
V M
VM
Drevets
W C
WC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002065:Buspirone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002065:Buspirone