Evaluation of the need for prophylactic antiparkinsonian medication in psychotic patients treated with neuroleptics.

A double-blind study of 42 psychotic patients treated with neuroleptics evaluated the need for prophylactic use of antiparkinsonian medication. The patients assigned to placebo (N = 27) presented significantly more severe extrapyramidal symptomatology, particularly dystonias, than those given trihexyphenidyl (N = 15), indicating a need for the prophylactic use of antiparkinsonian medication during treatment with neuroleptics.