Atypical antipsychotics: overprescribed and overrated

摘要

F 1 1 he second generation of antipsychotics, dubbed the "atypicals", were hailed as a breakthrough for the treat-ment of schizophrenia upon their introduction to the market in the 1990s, with risperidone being the first. By 2000, they were praised for providing a much-needed treatment option for people with bipolar I disorder, a condition with around a 1% prevalence rate. The dual effect of atypical antipsychotics in impacting dopamine and serotonin levels was soon applied to more common conditions, including dementia, depression, anxiety, children who behave badly, and broadly defined mild mental malaise, opening up much more lucrative markets.