Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Fractionation for Resolution of Soluble and Insoluble Huntingtin Species
07:08

Fractionation for Resolution of Soluble and Insoluble Huntingtin Species

Published on: February 27, 2018

10.1K

Antipsychotic drugs in Huntington's disease

E Unti1, S Mazzucchi1, G Palermo1

  • 1a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine-Neurology Unit , University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy.

Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics
|August 19, 2016
PubMed

Insights

This review examines neuroleptics for Huntington

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology and Neurology
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases

Background:

  • Huntington's disease (HD) presents complex motor and psychiatric symptoms.
  • Effective pharmacological management for HD symptoms remains a clinical challenge.
  • Limited randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exist for neuroleptic use in HD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the pharmacological characteristics of neuroleptics used in treating Huntington's disease.
  • To evaluate current treatment guidelines and identify unmet clinical needs in HD management.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature search of PubMed using terms 'Huntington's disease', 'Antipsychotic drugs', 'Neuroleptic drugs', and specific drug names.
  • Evaluation of existing clinical guidelines and identification of unmet needs in HD treatment.

Main Results:

  • Antipsychotics are frequently used as a first-line treatment for chorea in HD, especially with psychiatric symptoms or when tetrabenazine poses risks.
  • Second-generation antipsychotics are preferred to minimize extrapyramidal side effects but may increase metabolic risks.
  • Current evidence relies heavily on case reports, with a scarcity of RCTs and drug comparison studies.

Conclusions:

  • Antipsychotics are a valid strategy for managing HD symptoms, with second-generation agents offering a potentially better side-effect profile.
  • The development of 'dopamine stabilizers' like pridopidine may offer future alternatives by modulating dopamine transmission.
  • Further high-quality research, including RCTs, is needed to establish optimal neuroleptic use in Huntington's disease.
Abstract

Keywords:
Huntington’s diseaseaggressivenessantipsychotic drugsextrapiramidal side effectsinvoluntary movements

More Related Videos

Rating L-DOPA-Induced Dyskinesias in the Unilaterally 6-OHDA-Lesioned Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease06:45

Rating L-DOPA-Induced Dyskinesias in the Unilaterally 6-OHDA-Lesioned Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease

Published on: October 4, 2021

3.6K
Habituation and Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle in Rodents08:38

Habituation and Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle in Rodents

Published on: September 1, 2011

76.0K

Related Concept Videos

Antipsychotic Drugs: Therapeutic Uses and Side Effects01:21

Antipsychotic Drugs: Therapeutic Uses and Side Effects

Antipsychotic drugs primarily block dopamine and serotonin receptors and cholinergic, adrenergic, and histaminergic receptors, thereby reducing hallucinations and delusions in conditions like schizophrenia. However, they can trigger unwanted extrapyramidal effects such as dystonias, Parkinson-like symptoms, and tardive dyskinesia.
Despite these side effects, antipsychotics are used therapeutically for various purposes, including managing schizophrenia, preventing nausea and vomiting, curbing...
1.0K
Parkinson's Disease: Treatment01:24

Parkinson's Disease: Treatment

Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), involve the gradual and irreversible destruction of neurons in particular brain areas. These disorders exhibit standard features like proteinopathies, selective vulnerability of some neurons, and an interaction of intrinsic properties, genetics, and environmental influences in neural injury.
Parkinson's Disease is primarily a result of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The cornerstone of...
1.3K
Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview01:28

Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview

The term "psychosis" refers to a spectrum of mental disorders characterized by abnormal thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors. It can manifest as mood disorders, dementia, delirium with psychotic features, substance-induced psychosis with psychotic features, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia. Among all these disorders, schizophrenia is the most common psychotic disorder, affecting 1% of the worldwide population. Psychotic...
1.1K
Antipsychotic Drugs: Typical and Atypical Agents01:21

Antipsychotic Drugs: Typical and Atypical Agents

Antipsychotic drugs are classified into first-generation (typical) drugs including phenothiazines; and second-generation (atypical) drugs. Chlorpromazine hydrochloride (Thorazine), a phenothiazine derivative, broadly impacts the central, autonomic, and endocrine systems. This drug, along with typical agents like haloperidol (Haldol), primarily works by antagonizing D2 receptors, thus reducing dopaminergic neurotransmission. However, typical antipsychotics can cause side effects such as sedation...
1.1K
Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy01:26

Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy

Antipsychotic drugs are a crucial treatment method for acute and chronic psychoses, bipolar illness, and behavioral disorders. The selection of these drugs depends on several factors, including the state of the disease, clinical judgment, possible drug interactions, and the patient's sensitivity to adverse effects. In immediate scenarios, such as delirium and dementia, short-term treatment with low doses of high-potency typical or atypical agents can effectively manage symptom exacerbation.
651
Drug Therapy01:28

Drug Therapy

The advent of drug therapy has profoundly shaped modern mental health care, providing targeted treatments for a range of psychological disorders. Psychotherapeutic drugs, classified into antianxiety, antidepressant, and antipsychotic medications, address symptoms across anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. While these medications have transformed patient outcomes, they require careful management due to their potential side effects and limitations.
Antianxiety Medications
370