Tardive dyskinesia: a review.
OBJECTIVE
To review recent research findings on tardive dyskinesia (TD) with relevance to clinical practice.


METHODS
TD is a syndrome of involuntary movements that can occur in association with chronic neuroleptic use. It is of unknown pathophysiology. It can be irreversible, is cosmetically disfiguring, and can be functionally disabling.


RESULTS
There is as yet no treatment of demonstrated efficacy for TD. It is an iatrogenic disorder whose incidence is increased by age and total cumulative dose of typical neuroleptics. It has been the source of successful litigation in some jurisdictions but, until very recently, there has been no effective antipsychotic agent without this effect.


CONCLUSIONS
This litigation in some jurisdictions has been a major impetus to the development of novel antipsychotic agents. It is less well known that a similar, possibly identical, movement disorder occurs spontaneously particularly in the elderly and in patients with schizophrenia, and that TD is often reversible.
Latimer
P R
PR
Department of Psychiatry, Kelowna General Hospital, British Columbia.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents