Dyskinesia is a term used to describe involuntary and uncontrollable movements of one or multiple parts of the body. It can range from mild to severe and can interfere with daily activities. Dyskinesia is a symptom of several medical disorders, including Parkinsons disease, and is often a side effect of long-term treatment with levodopa, a commonly prescribed medication for Parkinsons disease. Dyskinesia can be anything from a slight tremor of the hands to an uncontrollable movement of the upper body or lower extremities. It can involve one body part, such as an arm or leg, or the entire body. Dyskinesia can look like fidgeting, writhing, wriggling, head bobbing, or body swaying. It can also cause rapid jerking or slow and extended muscle spasms.

There are different types of dyskinesia, including medication-induced dyskinesias, diphasic dyskinesia, late-onset dyskinesia, rabbit syndrome, and orofacial dyskinesia. Levodopa therapy is typically the cause of dyskinesias, but other drugs such as dopamine agonists, COMT inhibitors, and MAO-B inhibitors can worsen dyskinesias. Dyskinesias tend to occur most often during times when other Parkinsons symptoms, such as tremor, slowness, and stiffness, are well controlled.

The causes of dyskinesia are not fully understood, but researchers believe that a number of brain chemicals, including serotonin, glutamate, and dopamine, play a role. Dopamine is particularly important, and the fluctuating levels of dopamine, due to the continued loss of dopamine-producing brain cells, make it impossible to keep a steady level of dopamine, which contributes to dyskinesia.

If dyskinesia is bothersome, several treatment options can be discussed with a physician, including changing the dose and/or timing of levodopa, removing other dopaminergic medications, or adding other medications.