Objective: To present aspects of preclinical and clinical pharmacology of new antipsychotic drugs and to emphasize those preclinical drug characteristics which might predict desirable clinical actions.
Method: Review of the relevant literature and publicly presented data.
Results: Traditional neuroleptics have considerable effectiveness in treating positive symptoms of psychosis but can cause serious motor side effects. Clozapine produces no motor side effects and delivers a unique antipsychotic action. Risperidone also produces low motor side effects, but only at relatively low doses. Olanzapine and sertindole are newly introduced. Both have potent antipsychotic actions, with greatly reduced motor side effects. Both drugs also have possible advantages in negative symptoms.
Conclusions: These data support the conclusion that several new antipsychotics are becoming available for general use which are safe and effective in the treatment of psychosis and have several advantages over traditional neuroleptics.