Guide To Diagnosing, Preventing, And Treating Tardive Dyskinesia

Tardive dyskinesia is a syndrome that produces neurologic symptoms in an individual who has been treated with the long-term use of neuroleptic drugs. These types of drugs are typically prescribed for disorders of psychiatric nature, neurological disorders, and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. This syndrome is characterized by purposeless, repeating, and involuntary movements of an affected individual's body. These movements are sudden, jerky, stiff, and uncontrollable. Some common manifestations that occur with this syndrome include lip smacking, lip pursing, grimacing, lip puckering, rapid blinking of the eyes, protrusion of the tongue, and sudden movements of the legs, arms, and trunk. Uncommonly, involuntary finger movements may manifest as well. Not every individual who takes antipsychotic drugs for an extended period will develop tardive dyskinesia, but it is permanent for some of those who do.