Extrapyramidal side-effects and prediction of neuroleptic treatment response

Abstract

When antipsychotics were introduced into clinical psychiatry in the 1950’s extrapyramidal motor side effects (EPS) were felt to be an integral part of their profile of action. The propensity to induce EPS in animal models was an important part of the screening procedures in the development of antipsychotics. The term “neuroleptic” that was coined to characterize this new class of drugs had to do with their impact on motor functions. It wasn’t until the development of clozapine that psychopharmacologists realized that antipsychotic efficacy is not necessarily linked to EPS.