Which antipsychotic side effect includes symptoms like muscle spasms and stiffness?

Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) are a well-known side effect associated with the use of antipsychotic medications, particularly the first-generation antipsychotics (also known as typical antipsychotics). These symptoms can include muscle spasms, stiffness, tremors, and other movement abnormalities that resemble disorders such as Parkinson's disease. EPS can be divided into several categories, including acute dystonia (sustained muscle contractions), akathisia (restlessness), and tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movements, often of the face and mouth).

These symptoms occur due to the blockade of dopamine receptors in the basal ganglia, which is a critical area involved in the regulation of motor control. When dopamine signaling is disrupted, it results in the characteristic movement disorders that define EPS.

In contrast, sedation refers to drowsiness and reduced alertness, which can certainly be a side effect of antipsychotics but does not include the muscular symptoms classified under EPS. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition characterized by severe muscle rigidity, fever, autonomic instability, and altered mental status, but it is distinct from the ongoing, chronic muscle stiffness and spasms seen in EPS. Agranulocyt