EXTRAPYRAMIDAL SIDE-EFFECTS IN PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE TREATED WITH LOW-DOSE NEUROLEPTIC MEDICATION

The authors examined whether the presence of extrapyramidal side effec ts (EPS), measured before neuroleptic treatment was initiated, could b y used to predict the development and severity of neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism (NIP) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Twenty-four newly medi cated probable AD patients were assessed with a battery of measures of extrapyramidal motor function. Assessments were made before neurolept ic therapy, and 3 and 9 months after treatment. Posttreatment clinical findings revealed that 66.7% of the AD patients developed NIP. Patien ts who developed NIP exhibited more severe pretreatment bradykinesia o n instrument-derived measures. These findings suggest that a substanti al proportion of AD patients treated with neuroleptics develop signifi cant EPS and that the risk for EPS can be estimated before interventio n by use of instruments measuring motor function.