The Gus Alva Perspective: SoCal Psych Preview—Tardive Dyskinesia, with Jonathan Meyer, MD

Welcome to The Gus Alva Perspective!

In a special preview of the upcoming 2025 Southern California Psychiatry Conference, host Gus Alva, MD, welcomes back Jonathan Meyer, MD, clinical professor of Psychiatry at UC San Diego and nationally recognized psychopharmacology educator, to discuss his upcoming session on tardive dyskinesia (TD)—a topic that remains under-recognized and under-treated in clinical practice.

With a pair of VMAT2 inhibitors now approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, the conversation around TD is shifting from basic identification to proactive management. Meyer emphasizes that the true burden of TD often lies not in the motor symptoms themselves, but in the psychosocial toll it takes. “It’s not just a movement disorder,” he says. “It’s a disorder of people.” Whether it's embarrassment at work, difficulty with social connection, or emotional distress, even mild TD can become deeply disruptive.

The session will also cover the complex care scenarios clinicians frequently face: coexisting drug-induced Parkinsonism, the inappropriate use of anticholinergics, and the challenge of treating TD without destabilizing psychiatric progress. Anticholinergics, Meyer notes, can make TD worse but often remain in treatment regimens.

Clinicians will also get an update on how to measure functional impairment beyond AIMS scores, and why having the right conversation with patients is key to avoiding dangerous decisions like stopping antipsychotic medications altogether.

Don’t miss Meyer’s deep dive into the clinical, emotional, and therapeutic layers of tardive dyskinesia—a conversation designed to equip every attendee with tools they can use immediately.