Understanding existing antipsychotics and newer drug targets in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic, debilitating, prototypic psychotic disorder, which has antipsychotics as the mainstay of treatment. Antipsychotics are broadly divided into two: Typical and atypical. While typical drugs were popular in clinical practice until a few years ago, there are slowly being replaced by the atypical drugs, mainly because of improved efficacy and lesser incidence of extra-pyramidal symptoms. However, the newer drugs have their own demerits, in the form of other adverse effects, like metabolic syndrome, QT prolongation and sudden death. Several newer targets have been identified in the field, which might help in bringing about drugs with improved efficacy and safety parameters.