Symptom management can reduce severity of tardive dyskinesia

Neurological disorder causes involuntary, repetitive, uncontrollable movements

IN THE NEWS: Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a neurological disorder that causes involuntary, repetitive, uncontrollable movements. Typically affecting the face, mouth and limbs, it often develops as a side effect of certain long-term medications.

The key to reducing the severity of TD is personalized symptom management, says Dr. Sanaz Attaripour Isfahani, a neurologist with UCI Health. She spoke with HealthCentral about the importance of continuing to see a medical professional every three to six months to adjust treatment as needed.

“Remember, communication is a key part of treatment success, so don’t wait for your next appointment if anything changes. If your treatment plan isn’t working, your body will tell you so!”

She also spoke about the importance of stress management.

“Mindfulness practices, deep breathing exercises and gentle exercises like yoga and tai chi can help reduce stress, which may, in turn, decrease the severity of involuntary movements.”

Isfahani specializes in who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, ataxia, tremor syndromes and dystonia. She is an assistant professor of neurology at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.

Her research interests include advanced treatments for Parkinson's disease, the neurophysiology of movement disorders, deep brain stimulation, the neuroscience of free will, motion analysis, wearable medical technologies and human motor control. Isfahani is the author or co-author of numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals and a frequent presenter at major national and regional conferences.