POTENTIAL OF ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTICS IN THE TREATMENT OF NONPSYCHOTICDISORDERS

Antipsychotics have been used for decades to treat individuals exhibit ing psychosis. During this time, new antipsychotic agents have been in troduced periodically, each with different pharmacological profiles. S ome antipsychotics, particularly clozapine and risperidone, have been termed 'atypical' with respect to their therapeutic and adverse effect profiles. A significant amount of data exists concerning the efficacy and tolerability of both typical and atypical antipsychotics in the t reatment of psychotic disorders. Over the last few pears, there has be en a growing literature describing the utility of these drugs in the t reatment of nonpsychotic disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive, tic and pervasive developmental disorders. trichotillomania and aggressive behaviour. Current data suggest that atypical antipsychotics are usef ul agents fur the treatment of nonpsychotic disorders, although furthe r studies, particularly placebo-controlled, double-blinded investigati ons. are required to better define the roles of these drugs in such di sorders. As an increasing number of atypical antipsychotics become cli nically available, each drug, having a unique pharmacological profile, will need to be examined fur its clinical utility and tolerability in distinct patient populations.