What causes Dyskinesia?

Dyskinesia is an involuntary movement that you cannot control.  Dyskinesia can affect one part of the body or all your body.  Dyskinesia can range from mild to severe and can differ in frequency and times it occurs in the day.

Dyskinesia is usually seen in people with Parkinson as it’s a side effect of long term Levodopa treatments.  Another cause for Dyskinesia is brain damage or injury.  There are different types of Dyskinesias which lead to different symptoms as well as treatments.

Common types of Dyskinesias include:

1. Athetosis: A form of Dyskinesia associated with brain damage, mainly cerebral palsy. Movements in Athetosis are slow and writhing.
2. Chorea: A for Dyskinesia often seen in Huntington’s disease, structural damage of the brain, and caused by medications. Chorea refers to quick movements of the limbs and can resemble dancing.
3. Levodopa-induced or Parkinson’s dyskinesia: A form of Dyskinesia that may occur due to the long-term use of Levodopa, a medication used to treat Parkinson’s disease.
4. Tardive or delayed dyskinesia: A form of dyskinesia associated with the use of antipsychotic medications, often used to treat schizophrenia.
5. Myoclonus dyskinesias: A form of dyskinesia seen in progressive myoclonic encephalopathy. Movements are severe and very disabling.

Both Levodopa and the Antipsychotic medications both cause a rise dopamine when taken then a decrease in dopamine when they wear off. 

It’s this dopamine variation that causes dyskinesia

What are the symptoms of Dyskinesia?

Symptoms of dyskinesia can vary from person to person:

• Fidgeting
• Wriggling
• Swaying of the body
• Bobbing of the head
• Twitching
• Restlessness

Symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia:

• Smacking your lips repetitively
• Making a grimace repetitively
• Rapid blinking
• Puckering your lips
• Sticking out your tongue

In Myoclonus Dyskinmesias, movements are characterised by being sudden and repetitive muscle spasms and jerks.  These movements can be so severe that they become painful and debilitating.

Chorea movements may be continuous, last a few seconds, or involve sudden, jerking behaviours.  These movements most commonly affect the limbs, face, and head.

In cases of Athetosis, movements may be slow turning, bending, or writhing and affect fingers, hands, and toes.  Athetosis may affect the arms, legs, neck, and tongue of someone diagnosed with the disorder.

How is Dyskinesia diagnosed?

Observation of involuntary movements by a movement specialist or a neurologist