title: Legal fallacies of antipsychotic drugs.
abstract: Advances in the biological sciences have dramatically improved the understanding of schizophrenia and related psychotic illnesses. One of the most compelling findings is the substantial degree to which cognition is impaired in these illnesses and the remedial effects that antipsychotic drugs have in treating these cognitive impairments. Despite these promising discoveries, legal cases and scholarship remain replete with pejorative associations with antipsychotic drug action. References to antipsychotic medications as mind-altering drugs and their effects as "synthetic sanity" misconstrue the beneficial effects these medicines have on cognition. We review the prevailing legal attitude of antipsychotic medications and contrast these views with prevailing scientific knowledge. We conclude that legal opinion is misinformed about the effects of antipsychotic medications on cognition.
authors.affiliation: Yale University/VA Healthcare Center, 950 Campbell Avenue, Bldg. 36, West Haven, CT 06516, USA. steven.erickson@yale.edu
authors.forename: Steven K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: J Richard
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ciccone
authors.forename: Steven B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Schwarzkopf
authors.forename: J Steven
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lamberti
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Vitacco
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011287:Prejudice; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents