Tardive dyskinesia and adverse perinatal events

ABSTRACT

The study screened and examined 61 children and adolescents who were receiving neuroleptic treatment from consecutive psychiatric admissions and psychiatric consultations to Psychiatric Center for the presence of tardive dyskinesia [TD] using st and ardized assessment tools [AIMS and ADS]. Assessment was done on more than one occasion and the diagnosis of positive cases of TD was based on TD research criteria. Histories of perinatal adversity, developmental milestones and neuroleptic exposure were obtained for both TD and non-TD subgroups. Results showed that 20% of the sample received a diagnosis of TD. Patients were more likely to be younger males with previous hospitalization, with longer duration of neuroleptic exposure, have longer duration of maximal daily dose in mg chlorpromazine equivalents, and with history of exposure to adverse perinatal, neonatal events, developmental delays and neurological events, than non-TD patients. In a series of multiple regression analyses, only neuroleptic exposure, adverse perinatal and developmental events were strongly associated with TD. The explanations and implications of the results were discussed