New developments in the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia.

The ability to use pharmacological treatment for schizophrenia is progressing in a most efficacious fashion, while the risk of adverse effects is declining. An important reevaluation of minimal effective antipsychotic drug dosages for both acute and extended treatment has taken place. Clozapine has provided clinical practitioners with a useful new alternative for treatment-refractory patients, and new research has helped clarify the role of different maintenance and prophylactic medication strategies. The author summarizes recent progress in these areas.