Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-6bf8c574d5-l72pf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-03-03T19:26:03.221Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Summary

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2021

Stephen M. Stahl  and
Laurence Mignon
Illustrated by
Nancy Muntner
Stephen M. Stahl
Affiliation:
University of California, San Diego
Get access

Summary

  • • The underlying pathophysiology of schizophrenia remains to be fully elucidated.

  • • Dopamine, glutamate, and serotonin are three of the most important neurotransmitter systems involved in schizophrenia and in the mechanism of action of conventional and atypical antipsychotics.

  • • Each antipsychotic has a unique receptor profile, important in the alleviation of symptoms and induction of side effects.

  • • Atypical antipsychotics can have cardiometabolic risks, and thus patients need to be monitored when treatment is initiated.

  • • Today's psychopharmacologist has many choices when it comes to choosing an antipsychotic and can individualize treatment with the goals of maximizing treatment and minimizing side effects.

  • • It is necessary for psychopharmacologists to understand the art of switching between different antipsychotics, as patients will most likely have to try different medications in order to reach an optimal treatment plan.

Type
Chapter
Information
Stahl's Illustrated Antipsychotics
Treating Psychosis, Mania and Depression
 , pp. 163
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×