Dyskinesia

Dyskinesia is a movement disorder that is characterized by involuntary muscle movements ranging from mild "tics" to severe and uncontrollable body movements. It is a symptom of several different medical disorders such as Parkinson's disease or Tourette's syndrome. It can also be a result of long-term or high dosages of antipsychotic drugs such as Halperidol or Pluphenazine.

Other less obvious forms of dyskinesia can cause a discoordinaton of the respiratory system which can cause breathing problems. Orofacial or tardive dyskinesias involve involuntary body movements that are not classified as movement disorders. A severe example of a dyskinesia would be an involuntary punching or kicking motion. Recent research dealing with the management of dyskinesia has seen positive results with selective mu opioid receptor antagonists (hyperlink?). These drugs block the reception of opioids by by the mu receptor cells of the individual neurons.