title: Antipsychotic drugs in Huntington's disease.
abstract: The aim of this review is to overview the pharmacological features of neuroleptics experienced in the treatment of Huntington's disease (HD) symptoms. Despite a large number of case reports, randomized controlled trials (RCT) and drug comparison studies are lacking. Areas covered: After evaluating current guidelines and clinical unmet needs we searched PubMed for the term 'Huntington's disease' cross referenced with the terms 'Antipsychotic drugs' 'Neuroleptic drugs' and single drug specific names. Expert commentary: In clinical practice antipsychotics represent the first choice in the management of chorea in the presence of psychiatric symptoms, when poor compliance is suspected or when there is an increased risk of adverse events due to tetrabenazine. Antipsychotics are considered valid strategies, with the second generation preferred to reduce extrapyramidal adverse events, however they may cause more metabolic side effects. In the future 'dopamine stabilizers', such as pridopidine, could replace antipsychotics modulating dopamine transmission.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine-Neurology Unit , University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Unti
authors.affiliation: a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine-Neurology Unit , University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazzucchi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine-Neurology Unit , University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palermo
authors.affiliation: a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine-Neurology Unit , University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bonuccelli
authors.affiliation: a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine-Neurology Unit , University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ceravolo
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013747:Tetrabenazine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010880:Piperidines; C483720:pridopidine; D013747:Tetrabenazine
keywords: Huntington’s disease; aggressiveness; antipsychotic drugs; extrapiramidal side effects; involuntary movements