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Gabrial,
EPS (extrapyramidal syndrome) is a family of movement disorders that can be
related to, or unrelated to PD.  They are characterized by involuntary
movement of the face, lips tongue, neck, trunk, legs, feet, even the
intestinal tract and throat.  Ther are so many expressions of this
disturbing class of symptoms that a detailed discription of each one would
not be real helpful.  They are due to complex disturbances in neuronal
tracts extending from the midbrain down to the spinal chord.  They can be
associated with the administration of any of several medications including
neuroleptics (haldol, prolixin, clozaril (this one reports a reduced level
of EPS)), tricyclic antidepressants (elavil, tofranil, etc.), among other
agents.  Many refer to EPS as side effects of these meds; I prefer to
consider them to be major activities of these medications that are without
medical benefit.
 
Jeffrey M. Tosk, Ph.D.
Director, Parkinson's Research Center
La Sierra University
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