Neurochemical alterations in schizophrenia affecting the putative receptor targets of atypical antipsychotics
Harrison PJ.
<jats:p>What mechanisms make an antipsychotic atypical? A common view is that the different therapeutic and side-effect profile of atypical compared to typical antipsychotics is due to their high affinity for specific dopamine and/or 5-HT (serotonin) receptors. Dopamine D<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> and 5-HT<jats:sub>2a</jats:sub> receptors are particularly implicated, though many others have been proposed as well, including dopamine D<jats:sub>1</jats:sub> and D<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>, 5-HT<jats:sub>1a</jats:sub>, 5-HT<jats:sub>2c</jats:sub>, 5-HT<jats:sub>6</jats:sub>, 5-HT<jats:sub>7</jats:sub> and α<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> adrenergic receptors (for review, see Deutch <jats:italic>et al,</jats:italic> 1991; Ashby & Wang, 1996; Kinon & Lieberman, 1996).</jats:p>