Symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia

Involuntary movements which develop with antipsychotic exposure, are present for at least 4 weeks (but can occur with a single exposure to an antipsychotic drug) and may be:

1. Choreiform movements (rapid, jerky, nonrepetitive, purposeless)
2. Athetoid movements (slow, sinuous, continual)
3. Rhythmic movements (stereotypes)

Body Localization:

Perioral Movements (most common):

1. darting, twisting, protruding movements of the tongue (lip-licking, smacking, sucking, “fly-catching tongue”).
2. chewing and lateral jaw movements.
3. lip puckering.
4. puffing cheeks.

Face and Eyes:

1. facial grimacing.
2. tics
3. blinking
4. brow arching
5. upward deviation of eyes

Extremities:

1. finger, wrist, arm movements – athetoid (wormlike and twisting) or myokymic (jerking and twisting)
2. hand clenching
3. toe bending or jerking
4. flexing of ankles
5. foot tapping

Trunk:

1. torticollis – neck muscles contracting, pulling the head to that side
2. retrocollis – neck muscles contracting, pulling the head backwards
3. trunk twisting
4. pelvic thrusting
5. rocking/swaying.