Cognitive effects of second-generation antipsychotics: current insights into neurochemical mechanisms.
Historically, pharmacotherapy for schizophrenia was mainly focused on finding drugs to treat psychotic symptoms only, without addressing other crucial domains of the disorder such as cognitive impairments. As a result, these domains have remained undertreated. In this review, we discuss recent preclinical research efforts, including investigation of synaptic mechanisms as well as intracellular signalling pathways and mechanisms involved in neuroplasticity and cell resilience, that may represent new mechanisms participating in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, particularly at the level of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, and that might lead to the development of drugs that can counteract, at least partially, the cognitive impairments typical of schizophrenia.
Fumagalli
Fabio
F
Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. Fabio.Fumagalli@unimi.it
Frasca
Angelisa
A
Racagni
Giorgio
G
Riva
Marco Andrea
MA
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents