Akathisia in neuroleptic medicated mentally handicapped subjects

Sixty-six neuroleptic medicated mentally handicapped subjects in a hospital were studied to determine the prevalence of drug-induced akathisia. Tardive dyskinesia was also rated on the AIMS scale. Only motor manifestations of akathisia could be assessed as the subjective component of akathisia was difficult to elicit in this population with difficulties in verbal communication. As all the subjects had been on neuroleptics for at least 3 years, only chronic akathisia could be studied. Five subjects had akathisia. Correlational analysis did not reveal any specific associations with any of the demographic, clinical and pharmacological variables studied. A step-wise multiple regression analysis indicated that younger age could be a predictor. Tardive dyskinesia was associated in two of the subjects. The overall conclusion was that 7% of the subjects had chronic akathisia and no specific risk factors could be identified.