The monoamine depleting drug tetrabenazine has been used for decades in Euro
pe
and Canada for treatment of tardive dyskinesia and other various movement
disorders.  This drug, similar to reserpine but with a better side effect
profile, is being explored in the USA for use in Huntingtons disease as well
 as
various movement disorders.  Its the ONLY drug considered effective for
tardive dyskinesia. It is not FDA approved for anything in the USA currently
,
but is available at various movement disorder clinics in university affiliat
ed
Neurology departments around the country..via open clinical trials.

Tetrabenazine works not by "blocking" dopamine receptors, but by actually
depleting levels of dopamine and norephinephrine in the brain. Unfortunately
,
it also can decrease levels of serotonin  so extreme caution must be used in
anyone with a history of major depression.

In addition to being used for hard to treat movement disorders, tetrabenazin
e
can also be used as an anti-psychotic drug. As you will read in the below
article, it was originally brought out as an anti-psychotic.



http://www.bcm.edu/neurol/jankovic/educ_tbz.htm

Eric

"My job is to reeducate the masses about severe mental illness. They must be
made to learn, whether they want to or not."

LostBoyinNC

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