Background

Condition Lookup

Number of Conditions: 1

Tardive Dystonia

Specialty: Mental Health and Psychology

Category: Neurological Movement Disorders

Symptoms:
sustained or intermittent muscle contractions; abnormal postures; tremors; spasms

Root Cause:
Long-term use of dopamine receptor-blocking agents (antipsychotics) leading to altered basal ganglia function.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Based on clinical history and examination, focusing on medication use and ruling out other causes of dystonia.

Treatment:
Discontinuing or switching offending medications, use of muscle relaxants, or botulinum toxin injections.

Medications:
Anticholinergics (e.g., trihexyphenidyl ), GABA agonists (e.g., clonazepam ), or VMAT2 inhibitors (e.g., tetrabenazine ).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects 1-4% of individuals on long-term antipsychotics.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Prolonged antipsychotic use, older age, and female gender.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Symptoms may persist even after discontinuation of the causative medication; treatment focuses on symptom management.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Permanent motor impairment, social stigma, and reduced quality of life.