Current Strategies for the Development of Novel Antipsychotic Drugs

While classical neuroleptics are characterized by dopamine D2 antagonism, this is also considered to be the cause of their neurological side effects. In recent years, novel antipsychotic drugs with improved efficacy, devoid of extrapyramidal effects are being developed. The mechanisms of action of these new atypical antipsychotics can be classified into three general groups: a) binding to D2 together with non-dopaminergic receptors, b) interaction with dopamine receptor subtypes other than D2 and c) selective binding to nondopaminergic systems, such as glutamatergic, sigma, neurotensin, and cannabinoid.