Another step in understanding antipsychotic medication
Once therapy started, however, it became apparent that standard drugs -- effective in most cases -- were not working here. And so, doctors turned to a less preferred drug called Clozapine. Though effective in controlling the manic- depressive cycles, one of the many side effects of the drug were very apparent -- sedation -- extreme sleepiness and fatigue. This side effect can severely hamper a recovering patient's integration back into normal society. As of now, the mechanisms by which such side effects occur are poorly understood, and options for treating them are limited. But, a recent study, on the drug Clozapine from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bangalore holds out new hope for such cases. The work by Radhika Joshi from Mitradas Panicker's group at NCBS has proven that the molecule 5-HT2A in the brain is partially responsible for the sedative effects of Clozapine. Furthermore, the team has also discovered that the drug-induced sedation can be aff...