Treating schizophrenia with cariprazine: from clinical research to clinical practice. Real world experiences and recommendations from an International Panel.

Background: Management of schizophrenia is sub-optimal in many patients. Targeting negative symptoms, among the most debilitating aspects of schizophrenia, together with positive symptoms, can result in significant functional benefits and dramatically improve quality of life for patients and their carers. Cariprazine, a partial agonist of the dopamine receptors D2/D3 has demonstrated effectiveness across symptom domains in clinical trials, particularly on negative symptoms.

Effects of antipsychotic treatment on cognition in healthy subjects.

Cognitive impairments can be observed in the majority of diseases with disturbed dopamine transmission. They are considered as core symptoms of schizophrenia, a disorder in which they appear to be particularly pronounced. Their neurobiological background is not yet sufficiently investigated, but dopaminergic systems are believed to play a crucial role.

Impact of different antidopaminergic mechanisms on the dopaminergic control of prolactin secretion.

Antipsychotics are the most common cause of pharmacologically induced hyperprolactinemia. Although this adverse effect was the subject of numerous observations, the mechanisms and promotive factors were not completely investigated yet. Increased awareness of clinical consequences of hyperprolactinemia implicates the necessity for further examinations.