Differential diagnosis of choreiform tardive dyskinesia

Orofacial dyskinesias and choreiform movements of limbs occur with moderate frequency among psychiatric patients. Abnormal involuntary movements are symptoms of a wide variety of neurological and medical disorders. For both therapeutic and medicolegal reasons, psychiatric patients should be thoroughly evaluated before being given the diagnosis of tardive dyskinesia. This review presents the differential diagnosis of disorders associated with orofacial and appendicular choreiform involuntary movements. In addition, this paper provides a guide to the clinical and laboratory evaluation of patients with these symptoms.