[Nicotine in neuropsychiatric movement disorders]

Nicotine has various effects in the CNS, especially in dopaminergic and cholinergic systems, relevant in pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric movement disorders. Nicotine acutely reduce the symptomatology in Parkinson's disease. In neuroleptic-induced Parkinsonism (NIP) acute nicotine application induces positive changes of symptomatology. Chronic application, however, leads to a greater likelihood of NIP. The results concerning tardive dyskinesia are not consistent, but nicotine tends to exercise a positive influence on basic mechanisms. In the Gilles-de-la-Tourette syndrome nicotine reduces the severity and frequency of the tics given in combination with haloperidol.