Psychology
Atypical Antipsychotic Mechanisms in Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia
Quick fact
Clozapine, the only antipsychotic specifically approved for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, binds loosely to dopamine D2 receptors and dissociates quickly, yet it works where every other antipsychotic fails—often after just a few weeks.
Why this is interesting
You might think stronger antipsychotic blockade always means better treatment. But in treatment-resistant schizophrenia, the opposite is often true—medications that block dopamine less tightly can be more effective. How can that be?