Schizophrenia - chlorpromazine

I queried about chlorpromazine with my tutor and learned that chlorpromazine used as anti-depression is not very recommended. This is because there is possibility of developing adverse effects which can be irreversible.

Then we discussed more about antipsychotic drugs which some are used to treat schizophrenia. Opposite mechanism to Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia is due to high level of dopamine or the brain is too sensitive to dopamine.

I learned that chlorpromazine associated with a wide range of side effects, e.g. extrapyramidal symptoms such as parkinsonian symptoms, dystonia, akathisia, and tardive dyskinesia. I did little research about the causes and found that dyskinesia might be due to long term treatment of L-Dopa for Parkinson’s disease besides high level of dopamine which causes involuntary movement impaired.

Then few days later, I was taught that procyclidine which is an antimuscarinic drug, is used to counter the side effects of chlorpromazine or antipsychotic drugs. From the BNF 53, procyclidine is used for Parkinsonism and drug-induced extrapyramidal symptoms, but not for tardive dyskinesia.