Prevalence and characteristics of patients with pseudoakathisia

Pseudoakathisia (PsA) is characterised by the typical motor features of akathisia but there is a lack of subjective awareness. A total of 153 in-patients on neuroleptic medication hospitalized in two representative wards of the Psychiatric Hospital of Attica in Athens were rated on the census date using the Rating Scale for Drug-Induced Akathisia [Barnes, Br. J. Psychiatry, 154 (1989) 672-676], the Rating Scale for Extrapyramidal Side-Effects [Simpson and Angus, Acta Psychiatr. Scand. 212 (Suppl.) (1970) 11-19] and the Abnormal Involuntary Movements Scale [US Department of Health, Education and Welfare, ECDEU Assessment Manual (1976) pp. 534-537]. Eight subjects of the total in-patient population were found to have PsA of chronic type (point prevalence 5.23%). The point-prevalence of PsA among schizophrenic patients was 4.76%. In addition to the diagnosis of chronic pseudoakathisia, five patients (62.5%) had a concurrent diagnosis of chronic parkinsonism. Among patients with PsA, significant correlations were found between parkinsonism score and current daily dose of neuroleptics or high potency neuroleptics. There is evidence of a relationship between chronic pseudoakathisia, chronic parkinsonism and daily dose of neuroleptic.