Deanol in the treatment of tardive dyskinesia

Ten hospitalized chronic psychotic patients with symptoms of tardive dyskinesia were given deanol and placebo, each for 8 weeks following a double blind, crossover design. No psychotropic agents were administered during the trial. Improvement occurred in all patients during the first treatment phase regardless of which drug the patients received; seven patients were on deanol and three on placebo during this time. The possible reasons for this decrease were discussed. It was concluded that deanol may have contributed to the decline but that its effect on the disorder was not dramatic.