Which of the following is an extrapyramidal symptom?

Prepare for the Dr. High Yield Psychiatry Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Ensure success in your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an extrapyramidal symptom?

Explanation:
Extrapyramidal symptoms are drug-induced movement disorders caused by dopamine D2 receptor blockade in the nigrostriatal pathway. Dystonia is a classic example, presenting as sustained, involuntary muscle contractions that cause abnormal postures or twisting movements, often affecting the neck, face, jaw, or eyes and typically arising within hours to days of starting or increasing an antipsychotic. This makes it an extrapyramidal symptom. The other options—hypertension, weight gain, and anxiety—are not movement disorders produced by dopamine blockade; they reflect metabolic or autonomic/psychiatric effects rather than extrapyramidal motor dysfunction.

Extrapyramidal symptoms are drug-induced movement disorders caused by dopamine D2 receptor blockade in the nigrostriatal pathway. Dystonia is a classic example, presenting as sustained, involuntary muscle contractions that cause abnormal postures or twisting movements, often affecting the neck, face, jaw, or eyes and typically arising within hours to days of starting or increasing an antipsychotic. This makes it an extrapyramidal symptom. The other options—hypertension, weight gain, and anxiety—are not movement disorders produced by dopamine blockade; they reflect metabolic or autonomic/psychiatric effects rather than extrapyramidal motor dysfunction.

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