Drug Therapy

• Antipsychotics 


  This treatment is based on the dopamine hypothesis which assumes that dopamine activity is linked to schizophrenia
• Typical antipsychotics 


  Used to combat the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. The basic function of this drug is to reduce or block the effects/ actions of dopamine. These drugs are dopamine antagonists, as they bind to dopamine receptors, reducing their action and not stimulating them
• Atypical antipsychotics 


  these combat the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. These drugs work on the dopamine system but also block serotonin and glutamate receptors. They occupy the D2 receptors and by doing so dissociates the dopamine which means the receptors receive dopamine in smaller levels