Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia

There is still another type of convulsive movement, involving the muscles of the eye and speech, which is both characteristic and of frequent occurrence in dementia praecox. Some of these movements correspond exactly to the movements of expression; wrinkling of the eyebrow, distortion of the mouth, rolling the eyes, and those other facial movements which are characterized as grimacing. These movements remind one of choreic movements and are quite independent of the ideas and feelings. They may be associated with the smacking of the lips, clucking the tongue, sudden grunting, sniffing, and coughing. Furthermore, in the lips we observe very rapid rhythmical movements. More often there exists a peculiar choreiform movement of the mouth which may be described as an athetoid ataxia.