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Antipsychotic Drug Development

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Behavioral Neurobiology of Schizophrenia and Its Treatment

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences ((CTBN,volume 4))

Abstract

Schizophrenia typically manifests itself with a wide array of symptoms – positive, negative, cognitive, and affective – and may also involve neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative aspects. Each of these symptom dimensions may be derived from pathology at one or more receptor types, localized in different regions of the brain. The absence of a single therapeutic target for schizophrenia has therefore prompted the de-emphasis of selective “magic bullets” and a critical re-examination of the intramolecular polypharmacy afforded by antipsychotics. In this chapter, we present a review of some of the receptor targets that are currently thought to mediate symptoms of schizophrenia, and discuss their possible implications for future antipsychotic drug development. Therapeutic strategies for schizophrenia that successfully exploit the multifunctionality of antipsychotics will take into account the entire receptor activity “portfolio” of the agent and provide a total therapeutic response that, like the elephant of the Buddhist parable, is greater than the sum of its parts.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Daniel Lara Rios and Jahon Jabali for preparation of the figures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arbor Scientia, 1930 Palomar Point Way, Suite 103, Carlsbad, CA, 92008, USA

    Dennis H. Kim & Stephen M. Stahl (Honorary Visiting Senior Fellow)

  2. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA

    Stephen M. Stahl (Honorary Visiting Senior Fellow)

  3. Department of Psychiatry University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK

    Stephen M. Stahl (Honorary Visiting Senior Fellow)

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  1. Dennis H. Kim
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  2. Stephen M. Stahl
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Correspondence to Stephen M. Stahl .

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  1. , Dept. of Psychiatry - MC 0804, University of San Diego, Gilman Drive 9500, La Jolla, 92093, USA

    Neal R. Swerdlow

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Kim, D.H., Stahl, S.M. (2010). Antipsychotic Drug Development. In: Swerdlow, N. (eds) Behavioral Neurobiology of Schizophrenia and Its Treatment. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, vol 4. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2010_47

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