What is the difference between a neuroleptic and an antipsychotic medicaton?
Question posted by asteplight on 30 Sep 2013
Last updated on 30 September 2013 by RonMan
Answers
They are often considered the same thing, but the differences are subtle. Neuroleptics are in the class on antipsychotics, and these days almost all antipsychotics are neuroleptics. This has not always been true. Almost all antipsychotics depress some form of nerve function in the brain. It gets very complicated to describe which and the terminology is difficult.
Dictionary definitions:
neuroleptic
adjective
(chiefly of a drug) tending to reduce nervous tension by depressing nerve functions.
noun
a drug of this kind; a major tranquilizer.
antipsychotic
adjective
(chiefly of a drug) used to treat psychotic disorders.
noun
an antipsychotic drug.
RonMan
They are the same thing.
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