Development History of Antipsychotic Drugs

Chung, Young In; Park, Sook Hyun

Abstract

Discovery of antipsychotic drugs provided us with a turning point which was regarded as a revolutionary event in psychiatry. The pathophysiology of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia had not been unveiled until antipsychotic drugs were discovered. A clue to understanding the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders has been found through the investigation of the mechanism of action of antipsychotic drugs. It is natural outcome to have imperfect understanding of the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders, since their concepts has not been fully defined bioetiologically until now. This is the reason why antipsychotic drugs have limited effects in treating psychotic patients despite the use of them. Advances in molecular biology and neuroscience may unveil the neurobiological mechanisms of psychotic disorders and eventually provide enough information to develop new antipsychotic drugs. The serendipitous discovery of new drugs often creates opportunities for new directions in medical research. The study of the mechanism of action of new drugs may help refine scientific theories and develop newer and better drugs. Overcoming the psychotic disorders as well as cancers is one of the most difficult subjects that needs to be settled. In a sense that the antipsychotic drug was discovered by serendipity, reviewing the developmental history of antipsychotic drugs could be a meaningful way, as it could be a clue to solve the difficulties. History has always provided us with the wisdom to contemplate the future.