Long-Term Treatment of Tardive Dyskinesia with Haloperidol and Tetrabenazine

Thirteen patients with tardive dyskinesia were treated with either haloperidol or tetrabenazine for 18 weeks. Haloperidol produced a statistically significant reduction in the frequency of oral dyskinesia, though the effect was most striking during the first two weeks; reversible extrapyramidal symptoms appeared to be negatively correlated with oral dyskinesia. Tetrabenazine also produced a significant reduction in the frequency of oral dyskinesia, with almost complete suppression in two patients throughout the study; the correlation between oral dyskinesia and reversible extrapyramidal symptoms was less clear than with haloperidol. No exacerbation of the dyskinesia was observed after administration of the study drugs was discontinued.