A schizophrenic patient started on haloperidol 2 days back, comes with complaints of torticollis and orofaciolingual movements. What is the diagnosis?
**Core Concept**
Haloperidol, a typical antipsychotic, is known to cause extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) due to its blockade of dopamine D2 receptors in the nigrostriatal pathway. This leads to an imbalance in the dopaminergic system, affecting motor control.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The patient's symptoms of torticollis (involuntary neck muscle spasms) and orofaciolingual movements (involuntary movements of the face and tongue) are classic manifestations of dystonia, a type of EPS. Haloperidol's blockade of dopamine D2 receptors in the basal ganglia disrupts the normal balance between the direct and indirect pathways, leading to excessive muscle contractions and spasms. This is a well-documented side effect of typical antipsychotics like haloperidol.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** This option is not provided, but the distractors will be labeled starting from **Option B**.
**Option B:** This option is also not provided, so we will proceed with **Option C**.
**Option C:** This option is not relevant to the scenario, as it does not address the patient's specific symptoms or the mechanism by which haloperidol causes EPS.
**Option D:** This option is not relevant to the scenario, as it does not address the patient's specific symptoms or the mechanism by which haloperidol causes EPS.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
Remember that typical antipsychotics like haloperidol can cause a range of EPS, including dystonia, akathisia, parkinsonism, and tardive dyskinesia. These side effects can often be managed with anticholinergic medications or dose adjustments.
**Correct Answer: C. Acute dystonia**