Deutetrabenazine Treatment for Tardive Dyskinesia in Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is recognized as a common and often debilitating movement disorder, associated with treatment of a variety of illnesses with dopamine receptor-blocking medications (also commonly known as antipsychotic medications. In addition to the distressing and disfiguring movements of TD, there is now also evidence of reduced quality of life in patients with TD compared to peers with similar psychiatric disorders without TD.

When originally described, TD had been thought to be primarily associated with use of First-Generation Antipsychotics (FGA's, also known as typical antipsychotics), but there are now good studies to suggest that TD is also frequently a result of exposure to Second Generation Antipsychotics (SGA's) as well. Deutetrabenazine, a selective vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitor, is now available to treat the symptoms of TD, with a favorable efficacy and safety profile. This medication offers a treatment option for patients - as well as their caregivers and families - affected by TD.

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) commonly suffer from co-occurring psychiatric and/or behavioral disorders (informally known as a "dual diagnosis"). Such individuals are commonly prescribed antipsychotic medications to treat these co-occurring disorders. Several authors have noted that antipsychotic medications have frequently been over-prescribed for individuals with IDD, often in the absence of an identified psychotic illness. Some studies have shown that up to 20-30% of adults with IDD are prescribed antipsychotic medications across a variety of residential settings.

Surrounding this frequent use of antipsychotic medications in persons with IDD, it is now well-established that persons and that having intellectual disability is a recognized risk factor for developing TD when treated with antipsychotic medications. Finally, recent research has confirmed the long-suspected belief that persons with IDD are MORE susceptible to movement disorder side effects when treated with antipsychotic medications when compared to persons without IDD.

Based on their increased exposure to antipsychotics, and increased susceptibility to movement disorders including TD, it would seem that persons with IDD who have TD are a group who could benefit most from treatment with an agent which can address this movement disorder.

Before TD can be treated, it must be clinically identified and formally diagnosed. Once diagnosed, patients and families must be educated on the availability of treatment options, outcomes when no treatment is undertaken, and the potential benefits (and risks) of treatment itself.