Tardive dyskinesia. Patients' lack of awareness of movement disorder

Of 113 patients in long-stay wards of a psychiatric hospital, 43 had TD. Twenty-six of the 39 patients who consented to take part in the study were unaware of abnormal involuntary movements. These patients scored significantly lower on a short test of cognitive function than patients who were aware of such movements. The diagnosis of schizophrenia, particularly the 'defect' state with cognitive deficit and negative symptoms, was found to be associated with lack of awareness of TD.