Antipsychotics: Neurobiological Bases for a Therapeutic Approach

Schizophrenia is among the most mysterious and costly mental disorders causing suffering and societal expenditure (1). The lifetime prevalence of the disease is 0.30-0.66% (2). It also results in death 12-15 years earlier than expected resulting from suicide, decreased access to medical care and common risk factors, such as poor diet, sedentary life style, obesity and smoking (3). First generation antipsychotics, that cause extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) which nearly nullify the therapeutic outcomes, are quite useful in controlling positive symptoms, but they lack a consistent response to long-term efficacy for negative symptoms and cognitive impairments. The new generation of antipsychotics, led by clozapine, has provided a broader range of therapeutic outcomes by being effective on both positive and negative symptoms and by causing fewer extra-pyramidal side effects. These new agents appeared to cause a risk for metabolic syndrome, including diabetes, weight gain, and hyperlipidemia. This situation may be more complicated than EPS or tardive dyskinesia in long-term therapy. As a result, there is still a strong need for safer and more efficacious ÖZET: Antipsikotikler: Terapötik yaklaşım için nörobiyolojik temeller