Unmet Needs in Tardive Dyskinesia and Opportunities to Improve Early Recognition

In this episode, panelists identify early recognition of tardive dyskinesia as a significant unmet need and describe key opportunities to improve screening. They emphasize that clinicians must consider the full clinical story when patients present with abnormal movements, because symptoms may reflect withdrawal dyskinesia, ongoing antipsychotic exposure, or long-term risk that evolves over months or years. Early intervention is crucial because even mild symptoms can affect daily functioning. The panel explains that the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale allows limited patient input, so shared decision-making is essential to understand how movements impact work, school, or social interactions. Providers should assume that anyone receiving dopamine receptor blocking agents is at risk, including patients treated for nausea or depression. The discussion highlights the growing importance of telehealth, which allows partial AIMS assessments, and reinforces that visual evaluation is necessary to avoid missing subtle signs of tardive dyskinesia.