A patient of schizophrenia treated for 5 years developed perioral movements. Likely diagnosis is:
Perioral movements—like lip smacking or tongue movements—sound familiar. Oh, right! Tardive dyskinesia. That's a common side effect of antipsychotics, especially the typical ones like haloperidol. It's characterized by involuntary movements of the face, mouth, and sometimes other areas. The term "tardive" refers to the delayed onset, often after years of treatment.
Now, let's look at the options. The correct answer should be tardive dyskinesia. Let me check the other options to be sure. Parkinsonism is another side effect, but that's more about bradykinesia and rigidity, not facial movements. Akathisia is restlessness, and dystonia is muscle spasms, usually in the neck or face but not the perioral area. So the other options don't fit the perioral movements described.
The clinical pearl here is that tardive dyskinesia is a serious side effect of antipsychotics that can be irreversible. It's important to monitor patients on long-term treatment. Maybe switching to a second-generation antipsychotic could help, but the key is recognizing the signs early.
**Core Concept**
This question tests knowledge of **tardive dyskinesia**, a movement disorder caused by prolonged dopamine receptor blockade from antipsychotics. It is a key adverse effect in patients with schizophrenia on long-term treatment.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
Tardive dyskinesia manifests as **involuntary perioral movements** (e.g., lip smacking, tongue protrusion) due to **dopamine receptor hypersensitivity** in the basal ganglia after chronic antipsychotic use. The term "tardive" refers to its delayed onset, often after months or years of therapy. It is more common with first-generation antipsychotics (e.g., haloperidol) but can occur with second-generation agents at high doses.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** Parkinsonism presents with bradykinesia, rigidity, and tremor, not perioral movements.
**Option B:** Akathisia involves inner restlessness and pacing, not facial movements.
**Option D:** Dystonia causes sustained muscle contractions (e.g., torticollis), not rhythmic perioral motions.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
Tardive dyskinesia is **irreversible in 30-50% of cases**. The **Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS)** is used for detection. Second-generation antipsychotics (e.g., clozapine) have a lower risk but not zero.
**Correct Answer: C. Tardive Dyskinesia**