As comparing to typical antipsychotics, atypical antipsychotics have several characters such as no causing ca-talepsy in animal models or extrapyramidal side effects in schizophrenia patients, no or transient prolactin eleva-tion (except risperidone, amisulpride), effects on negative symptoms, mood and affective symptoms, and efficacy in refractory schizophrenia. In views of the results of several studies so far achieved, the action at the dopamine D213 receptors, is by itself, sufficient to provide the contemporary kind of atypical antipsychotic activity. This re?view will attempt to address the modulation of dopamine D2 receptors as a basis of atypical antipsychotic action by looking over dopamine receptor occupancy, differential effects at the striatal versus extrastriatal dopamine D2 receptor, D2 receptor affinity and Koff consideration, effects for psychotic symptoms. (Korean J Psychophannacol 2004;15(3):255-262)
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