Antipsychotic

Antipsychotic
Drug class
Olanzapine, an example of a second-generation (atypical) antipsychotic
Class identifiers
Synonyms	Neuroleptics, major tranquilizers[1]
Use	Principally: Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective disorder, Dementia, Tourette syndrome, Bipolar disorder, irritability in autism spectrum disorder, borderline personality disorder
Clinical data
Drugs.com	Drug Classes
External links
MeSH	D014150
Legal status
In Wikidata

Antipsychotics, previously known as neuroleptics^[1] and major tranquilizers,^[2] are a class of psychotropic medication primarily used to manage psychosis (including delusions, hallucinations, paranoia or disordered thought), principally in schizophrenia but also in a range of other psychotic disorders.^[3][4] They are also the mainstay, together with mood stabilizers, in the treatment of bipolar disorder.^[5] Moreover, they are also used as adjuncts in the treatment of treatment-resistant major depressive disorder.

The use of antipsychotics may result in many unwanted side effects such as involuntary movement disorders, gynecomastia, impotence, weight gain and metabolic syndrome. Long-term use can produce adverse effects such as tardive dyskinesia, tardive dystonia, tardive akathisia, and brain tissue volume reduction.

First-generation antipsychotics (e.g., chlorpromazine, haloperidol, etc.), known as typical antipsychotics, were first introduced in the 1950s, and others were developed until the early 1970s.^[6] Second-generation antipsychotics, known as atypical antipsychotics, arrived with the introduction of clozapine in the early 1970s followed by others (e.g., risperidone, olanzapine, etc.).^[7] Both generations of medication block receptors in the brain for dopamine, but atypicals block serotonin receptors as well. Third-generation antipsychotics were introduced in the 2000s and offer partial agonism, rather than blockade, of dopamine receptors.^[8] Neuroleptic, originating from Ancient Greek: νεῦρον (neuron) and λαμβάνω (take hold of)—thus meaning "which takes the nerve"—refers to both common neurological effects and side effects.^[9]