The course of tardive dyskinesia and parkinsonism in psychiatric inpatients: 14-year follow-up

Tardive dyskinesia and parkinsonism were assessed in 53 patients residing in a state psychiatric hospital in 1984 and 1998. A 4.0-point decrease in the mean Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale score (6.0 versus 2.0; p < 0.001) and a 3.5-point increase in the Rating Scale for Extrapyramidal Signs score (2.8 versus 6.3; p < 0.001) were noted between 1984 and 1998. Over a 14-year period, tardive dyskinesia improved and parkinsonism worsened in patients who continued to receive neuroleptic drugs.