---
title: "Psych News Alert: Benefits of Antipsychotics Appear to Outweigh Risks, Experts Conclude"
description: Despite recent concerns that long-term antipsychotic use adversely affects health outcomes—possibly by desensitizing dopamine receptors o...
image: https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/pills_2684709-Jun-24-2025-05-08-13-6967-PM.jpg
---

 5/8/17 12:00 AM

# Benefits of Antipsychotics Appear to Outweigh Risks, Experts Conclude

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [ Psychiatric News Alert ](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert)

Share: [facebook-f icon ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://alert.psychnews.org/2017/05/benefits-of-antipsychotics-appear-to.html) [linkedin-in icon ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2017/05/benefits-of-antipsychotics-appear-to.html) [Twitter icon ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2017/05/benefits-of-antipsychotics-appear-to.html) [pinterest-p icon ](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2017/05/benefits-of-antipsychotics-appear-to.html) [envelope icon ](mailto:?body=https://alert.psychnews.org/2017/05/benefits-of-antipsychotics-appear-to.html)

| ![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/pills_2684709-Jun-24-2025-05-08-12-8933-PM.jpg?width=200&height=146&name=pills_2684709-Jun-24-2025-05-08-12-8933-PM.jpg) |  |
| --- | --- |

Despite recent concerns that long-term antipsychotic use adversely affects health outcomes—possibly by desensitizing dopamine receptors or through direct neurotoxic effects—a [review article](http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.16091016) in A*JP in Advance* has concluded that the benefits of antipsychotics for the acute treatment of psychosis and the prevention of relapse largely outweigh the risks. Additionally, because delays in the treatment of psychosis and relapse have been associated with poorer outcomes, the review noted there may be risk associated with withholding or discontinuing medication.

“Patients and their families should be made aware of the strong evidence supporting antipsychotic efficacy and of the side effects that vary between drugs,” wrote an international panel of experts in antipsychotic pharmacology, neuroimaging, and neuropathology led by Donald Goff, M.D. “Additional research is needed to help quantify the risk-benefit ratio associated with continuation compared with discontinuation of antipsychotic treatment and to identify predictive biomarkers in order to facilitate shared decision making and a personalized medicine approach.”

Based on a review of available clinical and preclinical evidence of antipsychotic benefits and risks, the panel drew several conclusions:

“Although not covered in this review, medical morbidity and mortality associated with antipsychotic use is highly relevant to decisions about long-term treatment,” the authors added. “Many antipsychotics increase risk for metabolic syndrome and thus the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, which are among the common causes of premature mortality in schizophrenia.”

For related information, see the *Psychiatric News *article “[Does Aggressive Treatment of Psychosis Mean Sustained Use of Antipsychotics?](http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.pn.2015.PP8b1?trendmd-shared=0)”

(Image: BCFC/Shutterstock)

[schizophrenia](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/schizophrenia), [ajp in advance](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/ajp-in-advance), [psychosis](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/psychosis), [diabetes](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/diabetes), [relapse](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/relapse), [biomarkers](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/biomarkers), [antipsychotics](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/antipsychotics), [stroke](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/stroke), [metabolic syndrome](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/metabolic-syndrome), [dopamine receptors](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/dopamine-receptors)

## Related posts

[![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_292005269-Jun-24-2025-05-07-43-6117-PM.jpg?height=200&name=shutterstock_292005269-Jun-24-2025-05-07-43-6117-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/12/antipsychotic-discontinuation-after.html)

[relapse](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/relapse), [first-episode psychosis](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/first-episode-psychosis), [antipsychotic medication](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/antipsychotic-medication), [medication discontinuation](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/medication-discontinuation)

## [Antipsychotic Discontinuation After Functional Recovery in FEP Linked to Relapse, Study Shows](https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/12/antipsychotic-discontinuation-after.html)

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 

 12/29/15 12:00 AM

Antipsychotic discontinuation following functional recovery in patients after a first episode of...

[ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/12/antipsychotic-discontinuation-after.html)

[![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/pills_2684709-Jun-24-2025-05-06-44-4556-PM.jpg?height=200&name=pills_2684709-Jun-24-2025-05-06-44-4556-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2018/04/study-challenges-halting-antipsychotics.html)

[schizophrenia](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/schizophrenia), [ajp in advance](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/ajp-in-advance), [first-episode psychosis](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/first-episode-psychosis), [antipsychotics](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/antipsychotics), [Jari Tiihonen](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/jari-tiihonen)

## [Study Challenges Halting Antipsychotics in Stabilized Patients With Schizophrenia After Several Years](https://alert.psychnews.org/2018/04/study-challenges-halting-antipsychotics.html)

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 

 4/6/18 12:00 AM

Many guidelines for treating patients with schizophrenia with antipsychotics recommend that after...

[ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2018/04/study-challenges-halting-antipsychotics.html)

[![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/man_window_iStock-523059734-Jun-24-2025-10-31-15-8478-PM.jpg?height=200&name=man_window_iStock-523059734-Jun-24-2025-10-31-15-8478-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2017/06/recovery-oriented-cognitive-therapy.html)

[schizophrenia](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/schizophrenia), [recovery-oriented cognitive therapy](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/recovery-oriented-cognitive-therapy), [negative symptoms](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/negative-symptoms), [positive symptoms](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/positive-symptoms), [global functioning](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/global-functioning), [antipsychotics](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/antipsychotics), [personal goals](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/personal-goals), [avolition](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/avolition), [apathy](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/apathy)

## [Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy Benefits Patients With Schizophrenia](https://alert.psychnews.org/2017/06/recovery-oriented-cognitive-therapy.html)

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 

 6/1/17 12:00 AM

Recovery-oriented cognitive therapy (CT-R)—a therapeutic approach that emphasizes a patient’s...

[ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2017/06/recovery-oriented-cognitive-therapy.html)

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Psychiatric News Alert",
    "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2025-06-24T17:10:59.679Z",
  "datePublished" : "2017-05-08T04:00:00.000Z",
  "headline" : "Psych News Alert: Benefits of Antipsychotics Appear to Outweigh Risks, Experts Conclude",
  "image" : [ "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/pills_2684709-Jun-24-2025-05-08-13-6967-PM.jpg" ],
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/2017/05/benefits-of-antipsychotics-appear-to.html",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/PN-Blue-Box.jpg"
    }
  }
}
```