The primary cause of TD is prolonged exposure to dopamine receptor antagonists, such as first-generation antipsychotic drugs like haloperidol and chlorpromazine. Second-generation antipsychotics, while considered to have a lower risk, can also contribute to the development of TD. The underlying mechanism is thought to involve the brainâs adaptation to chronic dopamine receptor blockade, leading to supersensitivity and upregulation of dopamine receptors, which results in the characteristic involuntary movements.
