Long-term Antipsychotic Treatment and Brain Volumes

Abstract

Schizophrenia, a common mental illness affecting 1% of the worldwide population, remains a leading cause of chronic disability among young adults.¹ Antipsychotic medications are the mainstay of treatment because there is strong empirical evidence that these drugs reduce psychotic symptomsand relapse rates in schizophrenia patients.² Even though the majority of patients receive antipsychotics and benefit from reduction in psychotic symptoms, many patients continue to have negative symptoms, cognitive impairments, and progressive brain tissue loss.^3-13 The causes underlying these brain abnormalities are unclear and have been a focus of much debate^14,15 and many literature reviews.^16,17