Drug-related transient dyskinesias.

The ability of some antimalarials, especially chloroquine and amodiaquine, to provoke alarming but transient extrapyramidal movement disorders has been reported. The basis of the reported extrapyramidal symptoms has been the cause of some speculation. This paper reviews case reports and presents some data of the regional uptake of chloroquine in mammalian brain as a factor to consider, along with other factors that could influence the action of chloroquine on the extrapyramidal system. A neuropharmacologic mechanism for the transient extrapyramidal disturbances has been formulated.