Atypical Antipsychotic-induced Temporomandibular Joint Dislocation

Abstract

Dystonia is a kind of movement disorder that leads to prolonged muscle contractions, leading to abnormal postures of the trunk, neck, face, arms or legs. It can be generalised or focal and primary or secondary depending on the etiology. It can manifest as oculogyric crisis, abnormal tongue movements, torticollis and opisthotonus. Laryngeal and pharyngeal spasms may as well be life threatening. Drug induced dystonia is most commonly caused by the drugs which alter the dopaminergic and cholinergic balance in the nigrostriatum (basal ganglia). Most of these drugs cause dystonia by blocking D2 dopaminergic receptors in the nigrostriatum which leads to an unopposed and unbalanced cholinergic output. Antipsychotics along with metoclopramide are the most common drugs which are responsible for the various dystonias and a common presentation in the psychiatric wards.