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Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1974 Aug;37(8):941–947. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.37.8.941

Effect of cholinergic and anticholinergic agents on tardive dyskinesia 1

H L Klawans 1,2,2, R Rubovits 1,2
PMCID: PMC494809  PMID: 4418481

Abstract

Tardive dyskinesia, like several other choreiform disorders, is felt to be primarily related to dopaminergic activity within the striatum. Physostigmine has been demonstrated to improve the abnormal movements in patients with tardive dyskinesia while scopolamine tends to aggravate abnormal movements and in some cases elicits abnormal movement not previously observed. This evidence supports the hypothesis that anticholinergic therapy in patients prone to develop tardive dyskinesia may increase the incidence of this disorder by lowering the threshold for the appearance of these movements.

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Selected References

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