Knowra Antipsychotic Antipsychotic An antipsychotic is a medication used to treat psychosis and related symptoms. Many reduce dopamine signaling, while newer drugs can also affect serotonin and other neurotransmitter systems.
Dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia : A family of explanations linking altered dopamine signaling to some symptoms of schizophrenia. Many antipsychotics act on dopamine receptors, though their effects do not prove this hypothesis fully explains schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia : A mental disorder involving disturbances in perception, thought, emotion, and behavior. Antipsychotics are a principal treatment for psychosis associated with schizophrenia.
First-generation antipsychotic : An older class of antipsychotics whose effects commonly involve strong dopamine D2 receptor blockade. These drugs often carry greater risk of movement-related adverse effects than many newer options.
Extrapyramidal symptoms : Drug-induced movement problems such as rigidity, tremor, restlessness, or muscle spasms. Dopamine blockade can disrupt motor pathways and produce these effects.
Dopamine D2 receptor : A dopamine receptor involved in movement, motivation, reward, and the effects of many antipsychotic drugs. Blocking or partially stimulating this receptor is a central action of many antipsychotics.
Bipolar disorder : A mood disorder marked by episodes of mania or hypomania and often depression. Several antipsychotics treat acute mania or help prevent mood episodes.
Second-generation antipsychotic : A class of antipsychotics generally characterized by combined effects on dopamine and serotonin receptors. This broad class is often contrasted with older drugs, although side-effect profiles vary widely.
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome : A rare, potentially life-threatening reaction marked by rigidity, fever, altered mental state, and autonomic instability. This emergency can occur with antipsychotic exposure and requires rapid medical care.
Serotonin 5-HT2A receptor : A serotonin receptor that influences perception, cognition, and neurotransmitter release. Antagonism at this receptor distinguishes many second-generation drugs from simpler dopamine blockade.
Psychosis : A state involving impaired contact with shared reality, often including delusions or hallucinations. Antipsychotics target symptoms within this broader clinical phenomenon.
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