NEW FINDINGS ON TARDIVE-DYSKINESIA IN A COMMUNITY SAMPLE

In a geographically defined area sample of 141 long-term psychiatric p atients in day care in south London, the relationship between tardive dyskinesia (TD) and other aspects of illness, treatment, and social an d psychological functioning were studied. The results are compared wit h previous findings. TD was significantly associated with parkinsonian symptoms and with the number of years in contact with the psychiatric services. There was a trend, in affective disorder only, towards an a ssociation with current neuroleptic dose. The patients with affective disorder also had higher rates of TD than patients with schizophrenia and paranoid psychosis. History of treatment with ECT correlated negat ively with TD among those with schizophrenia, and positively among tho se with affective disorder. As in other studies, duration of neurolept ic treatment did not correlate with the presence or absence of TD. In contrast to some previous reports, age and cognitive status were not r elated to TD status. Possible reasons for this are discussed.