

Most likely, your doctor will adjust the medication thought to be causing the symptoms. There is no standard treatment for tardive dyskinesia. When diagnosed early, stopping the medication that is triggering symptoms can resolve the problem, though in some cases, the symptoms may persist indefinitely or worsen over time, according to an article published in 2021 in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. The long-term prognosis for people with tardive dyskinesia varies. The AIMS may be administered before a neuroleptic drug is prescribed so the doctor has a baseline against which to compare future results, according to an article published in April 2022 in StatPearls. During an AIMS test, your doctor will gauge the involuntary movement throughout your body on a five-point scale, assessing the severity of movements. Other conditions that can cause involuntary or uncoordinated movements include Huntington’s disease, cerebral palsy, Tourette syndrome, and dystonia per the National Organization for Rare Disorders.ĭoctors may also use a tool called the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) to detect tardive dyskinesia in people who are taking neuroleptic drugs and to track the severity of their symptoms over time. However, since most people with schizophrenia are treated with antipsychotics these days, spontaneous dyskinesia is rarely seen.Ī doctor may make a diagnosis of tardive dyskinesia if a person is taking a medication that can cause it, has signs and symptoms of the problem, or has undergone testing to rule out other neurological or movement disorders that can cause similar symptoms. It is estimated to occur in 25 percent of patients between 30 and 50 years old and in up to 40 percent of people 60 or older, per research. People with diabetes, who smoke cigarettes, or who abuse alcohol or other substances may be at higher risk, too.ĭyskinesia can also develop in people with schizophrenia who haven’t used antipsychotics, a type known as spontaneous dyskinesia. The longer a person has been ill, the more likely they are to develop the symptoms. It’s possible, although rare, for tardive dyskinesia symptoms to start after a person has stopped taking a medication that can cause it, per the Cleveland Clinic.Īccording to a report published in June 2018 in the Journal of Neurological Sciences, some of the risk factors for developing tardive dyskinesia include older age, being female, and being white or of African descent.

It usually takes many months or years to develop symptoms of tardive dyskinesia, but the side effect can sometimes arise in just six weeks. Phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek), which treats seizures.Metoclopramide (Reglan, Metozolv ODT), which is used to treat gastroparesis, or slowed stomach emptying.The following antidepressants may also cause TD, according to MedlinePlus: So-called second-generation, or atypical, antipsychotics can also cause tardive dyskinesia, according the American Academy of Neurology, although they are less likely to. Prochlorperazine (Compazine, Compro, or Procomp).The older antipsychotic drugs that cause tardive dyskinesia include: It's not clear why or how tardive dyskinesia symptoms begin, but they're thought to be related to the chronic blocking of dopamine receptors. It also plays a major role in motor functioning. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers.

These antipsychotic medications, also called neuroleptic drugs, work by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain. Tardive dyskinesia is mainly caused by an older class of drugs used to treat psychiatric disorders.
