[Late dyskinesia caused by neuroleptics. Survey on 1,660 psychiatric hospital patients]

Among 1 660 patients of 2 psychiatric hospitals (980 + 680), most of them chronically treated by neuroleptics, we found 120 tardive dyskinesia (7,2%). 64% were more of 50 years old. 85 of 923 women (9,1%), 36 of 737 men (4,8%), but most of the men are younger. In 67 cases oral dyskinesia is isolated, in 53 cases it is associated with choreic syndrom. 13 patients are free of neuroleptics for more than 6 months and the dyskinesia is probably irreversible (mean age = 74). The interest is double: 1. Practical: prevention by moderated and adapted prescription of neuroleptics, specially for long term treatments and oldest patients; anticholinergic correctors must be cautiously prescribed. 2. Theoretical: this human experimentation is a model of iatrogenic pathology for the study of mental illnesses, extrapyramidal troubles, and neuromediators...