Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsDiagnosisCausesTreatmentCopingFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Causes
Treatment
Coping
Frequently Asked Questions
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Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a movement disorder that causes symptoms of uncontrolled facial movements, such as repetitive tongue movements, chewing or sucking motions, and involuntarily making faces. It may also involve movements of the limbs or torso.
The National Alliance on Mental Health suggests that around 25% of people who take these medications will develop tardive dyskinesia. While serious, treatments are available.
Tardive Dyskinesia Symptoms
Tardive dyskinesia causes repetitive, involuntary, and purposeless movements and tics. These movements often occur in the face and may include:
People with tardive dyskinesia may also experience uncontrolled movements in arms, legs, and torso, including toe-tapping, hip rocking, and uncontrollable finger movements that look as though the person is playing an invisible guitar or piano.
Tardive dyskinesia can be difficult to diagnose. While it is a side effect of certain medications, symptoms do not appear until the medication has been taken for months or years, and can sometimes first appear after ceasing treatment. Your doctor may take additional tests including blood work and brain scans to rule out other causes.
Symptoms of tardive dyskinesia are similar to the following conditions.To diagnose TD, your doctor needs to rule out these other possibilities.
Huntington’s Disease
Cerebral Palsy
Tourette’s Syndrome
People with Tourette’s are often prescribed neuroleptic drugs such as haloperidol and pimozide, so it may be difficult to determine if the movements are due to the medication or the condition the medication is intended to treat.
Dystonia
Recap
Causes of Tardive Dyskinesia
Tardive dyskinesia is a very serious side effect of antipsychotic medications, mainly due to the use oftypical antipsychotics. Although less likely, the newer andatypical antipsychoticsmay also cause the disorder.
Medications that can cause TD include:
It may also occur as a side effect with some antiepileptic drugs, antidepressants, antiemetics, and anticholinergics.
The majority of cases of TD are due to the use of antipsychotics (neuroleptics), however, other categories of medications, such as certain anti-nausea drugs and other psychiatric medication, have been connected with the development of TD.
Risk Factors
Anyone who has taken neuroleptic drugs for an extended period of time can develop tardive dyskinesia, but some individuals are at greater risk, including:
Tardive Dyskinesia Medications and Treatment
If you’ve been diagnosed with tardive dyskinesia, decreasing the dosage or discontinuing the medication causing the condition may solve your problems. However, this approach can also cause symptoms to worsen.
If symptoms worsen, they may eventually go away, or they may continue indefinitely. For the best outcome, it is important to get diagnosed and discuss treatment as early as possible.
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Medications
A number of medications have been used to try to control the symptoms of tardive dyskinesia including:
Other Treatments
For those with severe symptoms, deep brain stimulation may also be tried. More commonly used with Parkinson’s disease, deep brain stimulation involves implanting electrodes in certain areas of your brain to produce electrical stimulation that regulates abnormal impulses.
Researchers are studying new ways to treat tardive dyskinesia, which may includeantioxidantssuch as vitamin E, red rice bran oil, and curcumin.
7 Best Herbs for Memory and Brain Health
Always keep detailed records of any medications you are taking, including when you start them, what the dosage is, and any dosage changes. If you begin to experience any of the symptoms listed above, speak with your doctor and share your prescription history with them.
While your prescribing doctor should have your medication history, they may not have it in a compact form or you may not be able to visit that particular doctor if you need assistance in a hurry. It’s also possible that yourpsychiatristwill notice symptoms of tardive dyskinesia before you are aware of them.
Coping with tardive dyskinesia can be difficult and the stigma associated with the condition’s repetitive movements can feel isolating. If you feel alone, consider joining a support group or online support community.
It can help to share your frustrations, especially among those who understand what you are going through.Inspire, an organization known for its many support communities, has a group specifically for those living with tardive dyskinesia.
What to Know About Extrapyramidal Side Effects
Frequently Asked QuestionsTardive dyskinesia can often be reversed with treatment. However, it is permanent in some individuals. In the past, TD was found to be reversible in around 13% of people.However, newer FDA-approved VMAT2 medications have shown potential for reversing the condition.Preventing tardive dyskinesia involves using the lowest possible effective dose of a neuroleptic drug for the shortest period of time possible. Being on the watch for early symptoms can also be helpful. If symptoms are spotted, decreasing the dose, halting the medication, or switching to a different medication can help prevent and alleviate symptoms.
Tardive dyskinesia can often be reversed with treatment. However, it is permanent in some individuals. In the past, TD was found to be reversible in around 13% of people.However, newer FDA-approved VMAT2 medications have shown potential for reversing the condition.
Preventing tardive dyskinesia involves using the lowest possible effective dose of a neuroleptic drug for the shortest period of time possible. Being on the watch for early symptoms can also be helpful. If symptoms are spotted, decreasing the dose, halting the medication, or switching to a different medication can help prevent and alleviate symptoms.
14 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Tardive Dyskinesia. National Alliance on Mental Illness.
National Alliance on Mental Illness.Tardive dyskinesia.
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National Organization for Rare Disorders.Rare Disease Database: Tardive dyskinesia.
Fernandez HH, Factor SA, Hauser RA, et al.Randomized controlled trial of deutetrabenazine for tardive dyskinesia: The ARM-TD study.Neurology. 2017;88(21):2003-2010. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000003960
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Mentzel TQ, van der Snoek R, Lieverse R, et al.Clozapine monotherapy as a treatment for antipsychotic-induced tardive dyskinesia: A meta-analysis.J Clin Psychiatry. 2018;79(6). doi:10.4088/JCP.17r11852
Hauser RA, Factor SA, Marder SR, et al.KINECT 3: A phase 3 randomized, Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of valbenazine for tardive dyskinesia.Am J Psychiatry. 2017;174(5):476-484. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.16091037
Bergman H, Bhoopathi P, Soares-Weiser K.Benzodiazepines for antipsychotic-induced tardive dyskinesia.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd000205.pub3
Macerollo A, Deuschl G.Deep brain stimulation for tardive syndromes: Systematic review and meta-analysis.J Neurol Sci. 2018;389:55-60. doi:10.1016/j.jns.2018.02.013
Shireen E.Experimental treatment of antipsychotic-induced movement disorders.J Exp Pharmacol. 2016;Volume 8:1-10. doi:10.2147/jep.s63553
Debrey SM, Goldsmith DR.Tardive dyskinesia: spotlight on current approaches to treatment.FOC. 2021;19(1):14-23. doi:10.1176/appi.focus.20200038
Cleveland Clinic.Tardive dyskinesia.
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