title: Questioning the 'neuroprotective' hypothesis: does drug treatment prevent brain damage in early psychosis or schizophrenia?
abstract: The idea that psychotic disorders are characterised by progressive neurodegeneration that can be reversed by drug treatment is used to justify early treatment of increasing numbers of mostly young people. I argue that there is little evidence to support the view that old- or new-generation antipsychotics are 'neuroprotective', and some evidence that the drugs themselves may be responsible for the decline in brain matter observed in some studies.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moncrieff
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents