Aripiprazole: Pharmacodynamics of a Dopamine Partial Agonist for the Treatment of Schizophrenia

Aripiprazole is the first approved atypical antipsychotic with a mechanism of action that exerts a partial agonism with high affinity at Dopamin D₂- and Serotonin-5-HT_1A-receptors as well as an antagonism at Serotonin-5-HT_{2 A}-receptors. Aripiprazole provides good clinical effectiveness and a favorable profile of safety and tolerability. The special pharmacodynamics of aripiprazole are described herein.

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