Aripiprazole : Ã propos de cas cliniques chez des patients souffrant de schizophrénie ou d'un trouble schizo-affectif

Aripiprazole acts as a partial agonist of D2 receptors as well as a partial agonist of 5HT1A and an antagonist of 5HT2A. This drug constitutes the first that permits regulation of both the dopamine and serotonine systems : dopamine activity is blocked when D2 receptors are over-stimulated and increased when D2 receptors require stimulation ; on the other hand, in the cortical region, the inactivation of 5HT2A allows for a release of dopamine firing, whereas in the striatum where the 5HT2A receptors density is increased, their blockage inhibits dopamine release and limits extrapyramidal symptoms. In addition, the synergy between 5HT1A antagonism and 5HT2A antagonism seems to provide aripiprazole with both anxiolytic and affective properties. Finally, the absence of an affinity for histamine, muscarinic and adrenergic alpha-1 receptors limits the side effects compared to other antipsychotic drugs.