Psychiatric aspects of abnormal movement disorders

It has been postulated that some movement disorders are secondary to unresolved, unconscious mental conflict; however, psychotherapeutic intervention has been unsuccessful and psychoanalytic formulations have not been shown to be valid. In addition, there is the interesting observation that some medications, stereotactic surgery and biofeedback have been successful in treating movement disorders. Moreover, as in the cases of amphetamine-induced stereotyped behavior, Parkinsonism, the acute dyskinesias, and Tardive Dyskinesia, there is evidence that some involuntary disorders of movement are biochemically mediated. Organicity, in varying degrees and involving different anatomical and physiological areas, has been observed in Tourette's Syndrome, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. These diseases are usually associated with adjustment problems because of the effect that they have on the patient and the patient's family. Some of these psychosocial problems are discussed.