Tardive Dyskinesia: Recognition, Patient Assessment, and Differential Diagnosis

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is an involuntary movement disorder associated with antipsychotic treatment. Because of the serious and potentially irreversible nature of TD, accurate diagnosis is crucial. However, diagnosing TD can be challenging, since the subtle and often fluctuating symptoms can be easily mistaken for symptoms of mental illness or other side effects. Although the risk of developing TD in relation to treatment with second-generation antipsychotics is lower than that associated with first-generation antipsychotics, the risk still exists and may be greater than once believed. Clinicians prescribe antipsychotics for a variety of illnesses and may underestimate the possibility of a patient developing TD, thus missing early signs of the disorder. In this ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS, experts review the prevalence, phenomenology, risk factors, and impact of TD, illustrated by case examples, and provide valuable clinical information to guide early recognition and accurate diagnosis.