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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Habituation and Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle in Rodents

Habituation and Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle in Rodents

Published on: September 1, 2011

Agitation associated with aripiprazole initiation.

Jessica W Lea¹, Steven C Stoner, Jeremy Lafollette

¹University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy, USA.

Pharmacotherapy

|August 29, 2007

Summary

Aripiprazole, a novel antipsychotic, may worsen psychosis, agitation, and aggression in some patients with schizophrenia. This could be due to dopamine receptor changes from prior antipsychotic treatments.

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Last Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Habituation and Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle in Rodents

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Behavioral Characterization of Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizures: Moving Beyond the Racine Scale

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Published on: July 8, 2025

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychiatry
Pharmacology

Background:

Aripiprazole represents a novel antipsychotic with a unique mechanism of action compared to traditional agents.
Treating schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder presents challenges, especially in patients with long-term noncompliance and poor treatment response.

Observation:

Three patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder experienced worsened psychosis, agitation, anxiety, or aggression after initiating aripiprazole.
These adverse events occurred during a transition from previous antipsychotic treatments to aripiprazole.

Findings:

The worsening of symptoms may be linked to long-term use of dopamine-blocking antipsychotics, potentially causing postsynaptic dopamine receptor upregulation.
Aripiprazole's partial dopamine agonism might increase dopaminergic activity, exacerbating positive symptoms like paranoia, agitation, and aggression.

Implications:

These cases highlight the complexities of switching antipsychotic medications, particularly in treatment-resistant populations.
Understanding the pharmacodynamic differences between antipsychotics is crucial for managing challenging schizophrenia cases and optimizing patient outcomes.