Those drugs are generally prescribed for psychiatric disorders, as well as for some gastrointestinal and neurological disorders. It is also known as tardive dyskinesia and involves involuntary movements of the lips, tongue, mouth and face. These excess movements also may be experienced by people with Parkinson's. The movements can become more diffuse and can resemble generalized jitteriness, chorea or dystonias. Akithisia, a form of restlessness, is often associated with tardive dyskinesia and manifests itself as constant fidgeting or a necessity to keep moving.
Elderly women appear to be the most susceptible to developing tardive dyskinesia from neuroleptics.
They can include lip smacking, grimacing, blinking and grunting. Also, the patient may have rapid movements of the arms, legs and trunk. In addition to thorough physical and neurological examinations, a videotape of the patient may be done to record movement and progress. Other testing could include blood chemistries and calcium tests. Physical conditions such as tremor, muscle rigidity and location of problems help with the diagnosis of a movement disorder.