Posted by med_empowered on April 3, 2006, at 10:18:20
In reply to Re: Atypical antipsychotics as prophylaxis?, posted by blueberry on March 31, 2006, at 17:30:55
"Antipsychotics" weren't originally known as antipsychotics; they were (and are) known as "neuroleptics," meaning that they "seize hold of" the nervous system. Their primary effect for was long seen as subduing and sedating the patient; it wasn't until the mid-60s, with the dopamine theory of schizophrenia, that docs thought maybe they had some sort of unique antipsychotic effects. The dopamine hypothesis is still hanging around, but its generally thought of as too simplistic (although it does help sell medications to the unsuspecting public).
In addition, there's apparently a theory floating around (maybe some of you will know more about this..) that many cases of schizophrenia are "really" cases of bipolar, with a heavy dose of psychosis. To that end, some docs recommend trying out mood stabilizers FIRST on younger, first break patients before busting out the neuroleptics. Also, even when patients are on neuroleptics, the mood stabilizers seem to offer benefits. Plus, in the US there's long been a practice of DXing schizophrenia when any number of other, less dire diagnoses would be more accurate (bipolar, psychotic depression, so on and so forth). European diagnostic practices apparently are more discriminating between the 2 disorders.
Finally (and I promise, this will be my final point), antipsychotics really aren't GOOD for your brain. Thankfully, the new ones don't cause TD as often as the old ones (although it does still happen). However, antipsychotics old and new can induce "dopamine supersensitivity," which puts the neuroleptic user at risk of severe psychotic breaks. Plus, in my experience, the new, wonderful antipsychotics are very much NEUROLEPTICS, no matter what the glossy drug company info packet says--they will numb your senses and dull your cognition and appreciation of life.
poster:med_empowered
thread:626377
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060403/msgs/628193.html