Mental disorders Medicines Information

 

Mental Disorder Medicines

Antipsychotics 
The antipsychotic agents are highly effective in excited or agitated psychotic states, including acute episodes of schizophrenia, hypomania and delirium. They have revolutionized the management of schizophrenia.

Nature of psychoses
Psychoses can be divided into two categories: (i) schizophrenic; and (ii) affective disorders. The chief characteristic of psychotic individuals is a persistent inability of recognize reality. They have hallucinations and delusions.

Phenothiazines
Chlorpromazine is the most commonly employed Phenothiazines. Prior to the introduction of chlorpromazine, violent patients were physically restrained or heavily sedated.

Butyrophenones
Haloperidol was the first member of this group to be used clinically. It is an effective alternative drug to the Phenothiazines.

Thioxanthines
Chlorprothixene was the first member of this group, and an analogue of chlorpromazine. Its pharmacological activity and side effects are similar to the Phenothiazines. 
Thiothixene is an analogue of thioridazine. It is superior to thioridazine in the treatment of schizophrenic patients.

Dihydroindolone
This drug may be useful in patients reacting to other antipsychotic drugs. It has a long duration of action and can be administered in a single daily dose.

Dibenzoxazepine
Loxapine is the only drug of this group which is currently used clinically. Side effects are similar to those of the Phenothiazines, Thioxanthines and Butyrophenones.

Dibenzodiazepine

Clozapine
It is a unique antipsychotic because with it the incidence of extra pyramidal symptoms is low, and it is devoid of cataleptic activity. In other respects clozapine resembles chlorpromazine.

Diphenylbutylpiperidines 
Pimozide and fluspirilene has been developed from the Butyrophenones. They are long-acting neuroleptics, which are particularly useful in the prevention of psychotic relapse in schizophrenic patients after their discharge from the hospital.

Antidepressants 
The development of antidepressant drugs, sometimes referred to as "psychic energizers" or "thymoleptics", represents one of the outstanding successes of modern psychopharmacology. The two major categories of antidepressant drugs are: (i) the tricyclic group of which imipramine and amitriptyline are the most widely used; and (ii) the monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOISs), of which tranyclpromaine and phenelzine are the best known.