Drug Therapy For Schizophrenia

• •Drug therapy involves the treatment of schizophrenia through the use of antipsychotic medication to reduce the symptoms of the disorder.•These can be taken as tablets, syrup or injections if necessary.•They help the person with schizophrenia to function as well as possible whilst also increasing their feelings of subjective wellbeing.•All antipsychotics work by reducing dopaminergic transmission i.e. reducing the actions of the neurotransmitter dopamine in areas of the brain associated with the symptoms of schizophrenia.
• •There are types of antipsychotics:–Typical (traditional) antipsychotics–Atypical (newer) antipsychotics
• •Typical – e.g. chlorpromazine are dopamine antagonists – developed in the 1950’s - they bind to (and so block) dopamine receptors but don’t stimulate them, reducing the action of dopamine. Initially dopamine levels build up but then production is reduced. This normalises neurotransmission in key areas of the brain, by reducing stimulation of the dopamine system reducing positive symptoms such as hallucinations.
• •Atypical – e.g. clozapine and risperidone – developed in the 1970’s -  also block dopamine receptors like typical antipsychotics. However, they only temporarily occupy the receptors and then rapidly dissociate to allow normal dopamine transmission. This is thought to be responsible for fewer side effects. They also act on other neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin and they address negative symptoms e.g. avolition as well as positive symptoms.
• Atypical Psychotics

  • Act on other neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin
  • Address negative symptoms (e.g. avolition) as well as positive symptoms
  • Dopamine antagonists that bind to and block dopamine receptors but don't stimulate them, reducing the action of dopamine
  • Only temporarily occupy the receptors and then rapidly dissociate to allow normal dopamine transmission
  • Normalise neurotransmission in key areas of the brain, by reducing stimulation of the dopamine system, reducing positive symptoms such as hallucinations
• These drugs were developed

  1970s
• Examples of atypical psychotics


  • clozapine
  • risperidone
• Although they do still have side effects e.g. agranulocytosis (severe leukopenia)