main components

• antipsychotic drugs treat psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia
• first generation antipsychotics are known as conventional antipsychotics eg. chlorpromazine
• conventional drugs are dopamine antagonists
• antagonist drugs bind to the receptor and block the usual function of a particular chemical
• conventional drugs mainly target D2 receptor sites in the nucleus accumbens which is found in the mesolimbic pahway
• antagonist drugs result in less dopamine stimulating the receptor sites and symptoms caused
• atypical antipsychotics are new second generation drugs
• atypical antipsychotic work by blocking the action of dopamine in D2 and D1 receptor sites
• aytypical antipsychotics have a more temporary effect as they only temporary occupy the dopamine receptors then rapidly disconnect to allow normal transmission to continue
• atypical drugs help negative and positive symptoms
• atypical drugs have fewer side effects
• an agonist drugs mimics the effect of a particular substance
• agonist drugs used to treat heroin addiction using methadone