Remission of tardive dystonia (blepharospasm) after electroconvulsive therapy in a patient with treatment-refractory schizophrenia

J ECT. 2005 Jun;21(2):132-4. doi: 10.1097/01.yct.0000167464.79327.0d.

Abstract

Tardive dystonia is a movement disorder dominated by involuntary muscle contractions that may be tonic, spasmodic, patterned or repetitive, associated with the use of dopamine-receptor blocking agents. Most of the patients with tardive dystonia present initially with blepharospasm. Treatment of dystonia is generally disappointing. A patient with chronic paranoid schizophrenia who developed blepharospasm is described here. Blepharospasm remitted after a course of electroconvulsive therapy. Remission was sustained until 3 months after stopping maintenance electroconvulsive therapy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Blepharospasm / complications*
  • Blepharospasm / therapy*
  • Chronic Disease
  • Drug Resistance
  • Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / complications*
  • Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / therapy*
  • Electroconvulsive Therapy*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Remission Induction
  • Retreatment
  • Schizophrenia, Paranoid / complications*
  • Schizophrenia, Paranoid / therapy*

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents