Reserpine and alpha-methyldopa in the treatment of tardive dyskinesia

Thirty inpatients with evidence of tardive dyskinesia secondary to antipsychotic medications participated in this double-blind, controlled, randomized study comparing reserpine, -methyldopa and placebo. Reserpine at doses of 0.75–1.5 mg daily, or -methyldopa at doses of 750–1,500 mg daily, produced a statistically significant improvement in tardive dyskinesia symptomatology compared to the results obtained with placebo.Paper presented at the New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit Program, Key Biscayne, Florida, May 22–24, 1979