A Study of Facial Dyskinesia in a Mental Hospital Population

Abstract

Abnormal movements are common and accepted complications of phenothiazine therapy. They are usually regarded as of extrapyramidal origin, develop soon after medication is started and are often abolished by stopping the drug or giving specific chemotherapy. The commonly occurring syndromes are:

Prevalence of Persistent Abnormal Involuntary Movements among Patients in a Nigerian Long-Stay Psychiatric Unit

“…The prevalence rate of abnormal involuntary movements of 14.5% in females and 7% in males among Nigerians in a chronic psychiatric patients' unit compares favourably with reports from the western world [Edwards, 1970;Brandon et al, 1971 ;Perris et al, 1979]. Similarly, the preponderance of female patients with the disorder in the population, though not to a significant degree, supports the hypothesis of the female's susceptibility to persistent dyskinesia [Ayd, 1967a, b;Di Moscio and Shader, 1970 ;Brandon et al, 1971].…”

“…This observation might have relevance to the increase in brain pathology in the older age group [Edwards, 1970, Hunter et al, 1964Famuyiwa et al, 1979;Perris et al, 1979]. Similarly, Brandon et al's [1971] finding of facial dyskinesia in patients who had never been exposed to neuroleptics would suggest other possible causes of such dyskinesia. Crane's [1973] inclusion of parkinsonism, basal ganglia diseases and functional psychomotor disorders as possible differentials seems to buttress Brandon et al's [1971] observation.…”

“…The prevalence estimates of this disorder range from 0.5 to over 40% [Crane, 1973]. The discrepancy in the prevalence rates has been attributed to the definition of the syndrome, the type of patient population, the methods used in obtaining information and the clinical assessment of symptoms.In most of the prevalence reports on dyskinetic syndrome, females tend to predominate [Hunter et al, 1964; Demurs, 1966; Turunen and Achte, 1967;Brandon et al, 1971]. Perris et al [1979] attributed this observation to the…”

“…Similarly, Brandon et al's [1971] finding of facial dyskinesia in patients who had never been exposed to neuroleptics would suggest other possible causes of such dyskinesia. Crane's [1973] inclusion of parkinsonism, basal ganglia diseases and functional psychomotor disorders as possible differentials seems to buttress Brandon et al's [1971] observation.…”

“…Perris et al [1979] attributed this observation to the type of population studied. Also, abnormal incoluntary movements of the facialbuccolinguo-masticatory type were found to be associated with age [Turunen and Achte, 1967;Guttman et al, 1970;Brandon et al, 1971]. Guttmanet al [1970] remarked that older patients receiving high dosages of neuroleptics developed extrapyramidal signs more frequently than younger patients.…”