J Korean Med Assoc.  2011 Oct;54(10):1061-1069.

Recent advances in the pharmacotherapy of psychiatric disorders

• Woo YS
• Bahk WM

Abstract

Psychopharmacology has developed over approximately the past five decades. The remarkable proliferation of information in this area has made it difficult for clinicians to understand the characteristics of various psychotropic agents. Atypical antipsychotics including amisulpride, asenapine, aripiprazole, blonanserin, clozapine, iloperidone, lurasidone, olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine, risperidone, ziprasidone, and zotepine cause fewer extrapyramidal problems and have many clinical applications, but they can cause metabolic disturbances. Mood stabilizers and lamotrigine are widely used for bipolar disorder. Other novel anticonvulsants such as topiramate, oxcarbazepine, gabapentin, tiagabine, pregabalin, vigabatrin, levetiracetam, and riulzole have also been tested with diverging or inconclusive results. Antidepressants are commonly used in the clinical treatment of depression and anxiety disorder. However, the mechanism of action of medications used in the treatment of psychiatric disorders remains unclear. Understanding the mechanisms of action and clarifying the diagnosis may enhance the treatment outcome in psychiatry. In this review, we analyzed clinical pharmacology data for each drug within a class and discussed clinical strategies for administering currently available antipsychotics, mood stabilizer/anticonvulsants, and antidepressants widely used for various psychiatric indications.

Keyword

Psychopharmacology; Antipsychotics; Mood stabilizers; Anticonvulsants; Antidepressive agents

MeSH Terms

Aripiprazole
Amines
Anticonvulsants
Antidepressive Agents
Antipsychotic Agents
Anxiety Disorders
Benzodiazepines
Bipolar Disorder
Carbamazepine
Clozapine
Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids
Depression
Dibenzothiazepines
Dibenzothiepins
Fructose
gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
Heterocyclic Compounds with 4 or More Rings
Lurasidone Hydrochloride
Isoindoles
Isoxazoles
Nipecotic Acids
Quetiapine Fumarate
Pharmacology, Clinical
Pregabalin
Piperazines
Piperidines
Piracetam
Psychopharmacology
Pyrimidines
Quinolones
Risperidone
Sulpiride
Thiazoles
Treatment Outcome
Triazines
Vigabatrin
Amines
Anticonvulsants
Antidepressive Agents
Antipsychotic Agents
Benzodiazepines
Carbamazepine
Clozapine
Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids
Dibenzothiazepines
Dibenzothiepins
Fructose
Heterocyclic Compounds with 4 or More Rings
Isoindoles
Isoxazoles
Nipecotic Acids
Piperazines
Piperidines
Piracetam
Pyrimidines
Quinolones
Risperidone
Sulpiride
Thiazoles
Triazines
Vigabatrin
gamma-Aminobutyric Acid

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