Antipsychotic medications are used to manage which symptoms?

• A. They do not affect mental status
• B. They reduce weight gain
• C. They treat agitation
• D. They block dopamine receptors in the nigrostriatal pathway

Answer: (D)

Antipsychotics work by blocking dopamine D2 receptors, which dampens dopamine signaling in brain circuits that drive psychotic symptoms. The primary therapeutic effect comes from reducing overactivity in the mesolimbic pathway, leading to fewer delusions and hallucinations. The same dopamine receptor blockade in other pathways, like the nigrostriatal path, can cause movement-related side effects, illustrating how blocking dopamine underpins both the therapeutic effects and some adverse effects. So, recognizing that these drugs exert their action by blocking dopamine receptors, including in the nigrostriatal pathway, best explains how they manage psychotic symptoms.