The pharmacology of weight gain with antipsychotics

In general, antipsychotic agents have diverse actions on a wide range of ne urotransmitter systems. Data strongly suggest that a number of these system s may play a role in the regulation of body weight. In addition to having v ery distinct pharmacologic profiles, individual agents possess discrete wei ght gain liabilities. This article briefly reviews the evidence for the inv olvement of specific neurotransmitter systems in the control of body weight and describes the relevant pharmacologic characteristics of individual ant ipsychotic agents. By comparing the pharmacologic profiles of specific anti psychotic agents with their respective weight gain liabilities, this articl e attempts to gain an insight into the specific receptors underlying a drug 's propensity to induce weight gain. However, there is still much to be lea rned concerning weight control mechanisms, and the role of many of the rece ptors at which antipsychotic agents are active remains unclear. In spite of this, an overview of current knowledge in the field may facilitate predict ion of a potential novel antipsychotic agent's weight gain liability.