Orofacial dyskinesia, frontal lobe dysfunction, and coping in older people with psychosis

To investigate whether orofacial tardive dyskinesia (OTD) is associated with frontal lobe dysfunction and whether either are related to the coping abilities independent of psychiatric symptoms in older people with psychotic disorders.

A total of 52 patients, aged over 65 years or over, who satisfied International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision criteria for psychotic disorders (F20-F29) were recruited into the study. OTD was measured using the Abnormal Involuntary Movements Scale and Waddington et al.'s (1993) criteria. Neuropsychological measures were specifically selected to assess different aspects of frontal function and coping was measured using a semistructured interview. Psychiatric symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).

Patients with OTD showed more severe global cognitive impairment compared to patients without OTD. Group differences on measures of frontal lobe dysfunction were not maintained following adjustment for global cognitive impairment. Patients with OTD did not differ from patients without OTD on coping measures. Scores on the general psychopathology subscale of the PANSS, which includes symptoms associated with depression and anxiety, consistently predicted patients' negative perceptions of stressors and appraisals of coping, but cognitive impairment did not predict coping independent of symptoms.

The association between coping and general psychopathology in older patients with psychosis warrants further investigation as both variables may be amenable to psychological interventions.