Typical Antipsychotics

• Dopamine antagonists.

  Typical antipsychotic drugs (chlorpromazine) have been around since the 1950s. They work by acting as antagonists in the dopamine system and aid to reduce the action of dopamine - strongly associated with dopamine hypothesis.
• Dopamine antagonists work by blocking dopamine receptors in the synapses in the brain, reducing the action of dopamine. Initially, dopamine levels build up after taking chlorpromazine, but then production is reduced. This normalises neurotransmission in key areas of the brain, which in turn reduces symptoms like hallucinations.
• Chlorpromazine also has an effect on histamine receptors which appears to lead to a sedation effect. It is also used generally to calm anxious patients when they are first admitted to hospital.