Spontaneous dyskinesias vs. neuroleptic-induced dyskinesias in 270 elderly subjects.

A comparative study of spontaneous dyskinesias and neuroleptic-induced dyskinesias was made in 270 elderly subjects of a retirement home in France. Females were found to have twice the incidence of dyskinesias (27%) than did males (12%) (p = .04). In addition, 18% of the patients who had not received neuroleptics had dyskinesias; however, 42% of those who had received neuroleptics had dyskinesias. This difference is significant at the p = .0001 level. These results are discussed in terms of the general phenomena of central nervous system degeneration in the elderly.