Antipsychotics future developments

This chapter will explore the various drug treatments for psychotic disorders, with special emphasis on schizophrenia. Such treatments include not only conventional antipsychotic drugs but also the newer atypical antipsychotic drugs, which are rapidly replacing the older conventional agents. We will also take a look into the future at the drugs under development for psychosis, especially schizophrenia. Mood stabilizers for bipolar disorders were covered in Chapter 7. 

Consequently, antipsychotic drugs all share a basic mechanism of action that involves dopamine receptor blockade. It is apparent, however, that they are not all equal in their ability to affect specific sub-types of dopamine receptors, and that their effectiveness and side effects are related to their affinity and preference for certain receptors. As indicated earlier, other neurotransmitters may also be involved in the pathogenesis of psychosis, and differences in specific antipsychotic medications may be related to their ability to directly or indirectly affect these other transmitters as well as block dopamine influence. Future studies will continue to clarify how current antipsychotics exert their beneficial effects and how new agents can be developed to be more selective in their effects on dopamine and other neurotransmitter pathways. 

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