Medicines and drugs have helped many on this planet to overcome their diseased state to that of a healthy being. Not all but there are few medications that, despite treating a disorder, has adverse effects on the health of an individual in the long run. Neuroleptics, the psychoactive medications that are prescribed by the doctors for psychiatric disorders and some neurological and gastrointestinal disorders, causes a serious side effect that results to a conditions termed as tardive dyskinesia. This is a neurological syndrome characterized involuntary persistent and repetitive movements of the lower face including tongue, cheeks, jaw and mouth and also trunk twisting and finger flicking. This disorder is also associated with the use of dopaminergic antagonistic medications that seek to block the dopamine receptors which are the molecules present on the nerve cells. TD is used as the acronym of tardive Dyskinesia and the drugs that caused TD are shortened as DRAs (dopamine receptor antagonists).

It comprises of two words- Dyskinesia, which is a Greek word and Tardive, from the French dictionary- meaning difficulty in movement and late respectively. Tardive Dyskinesia or TD means a disorder resulting in the reflex and recurring body movements having a belated or slow onset. It is a non curable aliment whose symptoms- facial grimacing, finger movement, jaw swinging, tongue thrusting and repetitive chewing- may vary from mild to the severe that is gauged by the intensity and frequency of movements. Some of the antipsychotic drugs that lead to this disorder are Chlorpromazine, haloperidol, fluphenazine, trifluoperazine, sibelium, metoclopramide and prochlorperazine. There are few non neuroleptic drugs too that can have tardive dyskinesia as their side effect that include asendin, cocaine and several other street drugs, elavil, lithium, nardil, Prozac, sinequan, toframil and Zoloft. As medication to any disease is important, in order to avoid the adverse effects occurring from the use of these drugs, medical science is looking for some newer antipsychotic medications that are less likely to result in tardive dyskinesia though are not complete risk free.

For the detection of Tardive Dyskinesia, thorough examination of the health and study of neuropsychiatric background of the patient is done. Sometimes the symptoms of this disorder may relate with those of any other ailment so the proper detection process is a must. One can even help his or her doctor in determining this aliment by keeping the complete record of whatever medication he or she took for the treatment or was prescribe. If the person is diagnosed of having tardive dyskinesia or TD, he should stop the medication immediately which could help a little in avoiding this critical situation but sometimes stopping the intake of antipsychotic drugs also do not tend to stop the involuntary movements which can become permanent. There are few that may improve or may even disappear in due course of time. The research to improve upon Tardive Dyskinesia still exists that can help in preventing the side effects of the potent antipsychotic medications and aid in curbing tardive dyskinesia.