Why does Abilify increase dopamine levels while every other anti-psychotic medication blocks dopamine?

3 Comments

1. Your Assistant says:

   October 2, 2011 at 4:37 pm

   I would say Abilify is more in the ANTI DEPRESSANT class. That is more in line with increase of dopamine.

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2. canada_winnipeg_man says:

   October 2, 2011 at 5:07 pm

   Abilify (aripiprazole) is an anti-psychotic medication approved to treat schizophrenia, acute manic and mixed episodes of bipolar disorder, and agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. It is also approved to prevent relapse in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

   Aripiprazole, like some of the other newer anti-psychotics, effects the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. Older anti-psychotics seem to primarily affect only dopamine without significant impact on serotonin.
   There are three basic molecules, known chemically as monoamines, which are thought to play a role in mood regulation: norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine.

   Some anti-psychotic medications are made increase the release of serotonin.Others antidepressants are made to release norepinephrine and others antidepressants are made to release Dopamine.Your doctor may have a better explanation.
   Take care as always!!

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3. Jody says:

   October 2, 2011 at 5:47 pm

   Abilify isn’t just a routine antipsychotic, it is an “atypical” antipsychotic; and also an antidepressant.

   Abilify’s mechanism of action is different from the other antipsychotics, this accounts for the difference in dopamine levels.

   Other causes for difference is that it acts as a D2 partial agonist rather than antagonizing the D2 receptor. It is also a partial agonist at the 5-HT1A receptor. Minimal weight gain may be the result of it action of antagonizing the 5-HT77 receptor and partial agonist at the 5HT2C receptor.

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