Drug Treatments - schizophrenia

Question 1

Development of antipsychotic drugs?

Answer 1

• 1950’s: first anti psychotic drugs were developed
• shortly after, these were found to have terrible side effects
• 1990s: ‘atypical’ antipsychotics were developed (clozapine: risperidone, quetiapine)
• it was established these drugs had fewer side effects.
• Clozapine became very popular; it was highly effective in treating both positive and negative symptoms such as emotional withdraw.

Question 2

First generation Drugs - Chlorpromazine

Answer 2

• Chlorpromazine was the first antipsychotics medication discovered in the 1950s. It is a dopamine antagonist , which reduces positive symptoms by blocking postynaptic dopamine receptors without activating them

Question 3

Second Generation Antipsychotics

Answer 3

Second Generation Antipsychotics - Clozapine was developed in 1960’s and blocks dopamine but acts additionally on serotonin and glutamate receptors. → This reduces positive and negative symptoms. Side effects include blood condition

Question 4

Third generation Drugs

Answer 4

• Drug companies have recently been investigating the usefulness of glutamate agonists due to side effects associated with may SGAs, such as sexual dysfunction and severe weight gain leading to cardiovascular disorders and diabetes