The British Journal of Psychiatry 145: 304-310 (1984)
© 1984 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Effect of anticholinergics on tardive dyskinesia. A controlled discontinuation study
W Greil, H Haag, G Rossnagl and E Ruther
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, ten chronic schizophrenic
patients with pronounced symptoms of tardive dyskinesia (TD) were withdrawn
from anticholinergic medication. All patients had previously been under
long-term treatment with neuroleptics and anticholinergics for at least two
years. The rating-scales used were the AIMS, our own TD Scale, and the
Simpson-Angus scale for extra-pyramidal side-effects. The severity of TD
decreased significantly in nine patients with in two weeks; this
improvement, most pronounced in the oral region (P less than .001),
persisted during a six-week placebo period. There was a slight increase in
parkinsonian symptoms (P less than .05), which was not a prerequisite for
improvement in TD. Hence, discontinuation of anticholinergic medication is
a possible therapeutic approach in patients with TD.