Open AccessA Strategy for Developing Novel Drugs for the Treatment of Schizophrenia
Author(s) -
Arnold J. Friedhoff
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
schizophrenia bulletin
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.823
H-Index - 190
eISSN - 1745-1701
pISSN - 0586-7614
DOI - 10.1093/schbul/9.4.555
Subject(s) - dopaminergic , antipsychotic , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , dopamine , neuroscience , dopamine receptor , postsynaptic potential , dopamine receptor d2 , dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia , psychosis , pharmacology , medicine , psychology , receptor , psychiatry
Antipsychotic drugs currently in use have been developed as antidopaminergic agents; that is, normalization of psychotic symptoms occurs through a reduction in dopaminergic activity, usually by blockade of postsynaptic dopamine receptors. Based on this current understanding of the mechanism of action of antipsychotic drugs, it is suggested that one physiological role of the dopaminergic system is to down-regulate in the face of biological or psychological insult, as a means of maintaining mental stability. An attempt to develop new drugs to improve the efficiency of this down-regulative system as an alternative to conventional drugs that block dopamine receptors is proposed.
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