Abstract
Neuroleptic drugs are agents of diverse chemical structure but have a single major clinical action, the relief of psychotic symptoms, especially schizophrenic ones. These drugs are also referred to as major tranquilizers and antipsychotics. The term neuroleptic is most commonly used, since it is more specific. By contrast, the terms antipsychotic and tranquilizer are employed in different contexts with diverse clinical conditions and can apply in principle to many classes of drugs.
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Further reading
Creese I, Hamblin MW, Leff SE, Sibley DR (1983): CNS dopamine receptors. In: Handbook of Psychopharmacology, vol 17, Iversen, LL, Iversen SD, Snyder SH, eds. New York: Plenum Press, pp. 81–138
Lee T, Seeman P, Tourtelotte WW, Farley IJ, Hornykeiwicz O (1978): Binding of 3H-neuroleptics and 3H-apomorphine in schizophrenic brains. Nature 274: 897–900
Moore RY, Bloom FE (1978): Central catecholamine neuron systems: Anatomy and physiology of the dopamine systems. Ann Rev Neurosci 1: 129–169
Snyder SH (1984): Drug and neurotransmitter receptors in the brain. Science 224: 22–31
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© 1989 Springer Science+Business Media New York
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Snyder, S.H. (1989). Neuroleptic Drugs. In: Abnormal States of Brain and Mind. Readings from the Encyclopedia of Neuroscience . Birkhäuser, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-6768-8_36
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-6768-8_36
Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-6770-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-6768-8
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