Sydney Lupkin, NPR's pharmaceutical correspondent, dives deep into revolutionary changes in schizophrenia treatment. After decades of relying on dopamine-focused therapies, a newly FDA-approved drug targets muscarinic receptors, which could reduce brutal side effects. Sydney explores the unexpected origins of this breakthrough, the challenges surrounding new medication accessibility, and the hopeful stories of those navigating these changes. This discussion sheds light on a future where schizophrenia treatments may become more effective and compassionate.
Tiffany's journey illustrates the unpredictable challenges of managing schizophrenia with traditional antipsychotic medications that often cause severe side effects.
The recent FDA approval of CoBenphy marks a significant shift in schizophrenia treatment by targeting muscarinic receptors instead of dopamine.
Deep dives
Tiffany's Struggle with Schizophrenia
Tiffany, a librarian living with schizophrenia, shares her challenging experiences with antipsychotic medications. Initially prescribed these drugs as a teenager, she recalls feeling robotic and disconnected from reality, leading her to stop taking them out of frustration. After enduring a psychotic episode in her 30s, she attempted to manage her symptoms again, only to encounter severe side effects like a debilitating movement disorder. This journey illustrates the difficult and often unpredictable nature of finding the right medication, highlighting that what works for one individual might not be effective for another.
The History of Antipsychotic Medications
Antipsychotic medications have been primarily targeting dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to schizophrenia, since the introduction of the first antipsychotic in the 1950s. Despite decades of research, new medications continue to largely build on this dopamine hypothesis, resulting in persistent side effects. Experts express disappointment with this stagnation, noting that many patients endure a trial-and-error process with multiple drugs before finding the right fit. This long-standing issue emphasizes a growing need for innovation in schizophrenia treatment options.
A Breakthrough in Schizophrenia Treatment
Recent advancements have emerged with the approval of a new drug called CoBenphy, which offers an alternative approach that does not primarily target dopamine. This drug was developed from a chance finding during Alzheimer's research, where researchers discovered fewer psychotic episodes among patients taking medication that affects muscarinic receptors. By combining this drug with a second medication to mitigate gastrointestinal side effects, a more effective treatment for schizophrenia has been created. Although it was just approved and carries a significant price tag, it represents a hopeful prospect for those, like Tiffany, seeking relief from debilitating symptoms and side effects common with traditional medications.
For the past 70 years, schizophrenia treatments all targeted the same chemical: dopamine. While that works for some, it causes brutal side effects for others. An antipsychotic drug approved last month by the FDA changes that. It triggers muscarinic receptors instead of dopamine receptors. The drug is the result of a chance scientific finding ... from a study that wasn't even focused on schizophrenia. Host Emily Kwong and NPR pharmaceutical correspondent Sydney Lupkin dive into where the drug originated, how it works and what it might shift for people with schizophrenia.