AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -In the already discussed network meta-analysis of acute antipsychotic efficacy in multi-episode patients with schizophrenia, 6 clozapine demonstrated significantly greater efficacy for total psychopathology than all the other antipsychotics, having a large effect size (0.88).

Detailed explanation-2: -Clozapine, which has the strongest antipsychotic effect, can cause neutropenia. A problem in the treatment of schizophrenia is poor patient compliance leading to the recurrence of psychotic symptoms.

Detailed explanation-3: -Individuals treated with antipsychotics were twice as likely to respond to treatment as those treated with placebo: 51% and 23% on antipsychotics had a “minimal” or “good” response to treatment, versus 23% and 14% on placebo; medications better, but not as good as one would like.

Detailed explanation-4: -Their recommendation is to use cariprazine as a first-line drug for the treatment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia; amisulpride is a second-generation antipsychotic with a partial agonist effect on D2/D3 dopamine receptors and with variable levels of evidence (3).