Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms and Their Relations to Clinical Efficacy
CHING-PIAO CHIEN M.D.1, and
ALBERTO DIMASCIO PH.D.2
1 Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass., and Staff Psychiatrist, Boston State Hospital
2 Director of the Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory, Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Harvard Medical School, and Research Associate, Harvard Medical School
Various theories have been proposed relating classes of drug-induced extrapyramidal symptoms to the therapeutic actions of these drugs. But contradictory conclusions have been drawn from basically similar sets of observations; the literature on the topic is fraught with confusion and equivocal results. The authors suggest reasons for the past confusion and urge that future studies be designed with adequate controls and methodological sophistication.
