Lack of complaints in schizophrenics with tardive dyskinesia

Abstract

Eighteen of a population of 518 outpatients were found to fulfill diagnostic criteria for tardive dyskinesia. None of these patients complained to their therapists of their symptoms, and eight of them were not even aware of them. Five of the unaware patients were actively delusional or hallucinating. Since all eighteen were chronic schizophrenics on neuroleptics, these findings suggest that this group may not report their symptoms. The findings are important because early diagnosis of tardive dyskinesia allows more chance for intervention with satisfactory results.