After purchase, your eBook will be available on your "My Downloads" page, accessed from your Member/Guest page under "Admin: My Account". Target Audience: This activity has been developed for prescribers specializing in psychiatry. There are no prerequisites for this activity. Health care providers in all specialties who are interested in psychopharmacology, especially primary care physicians, nurses, psychologists, and pharmacists, are welcome for advanced study. Overview: The aim of this booklet is to explain the underlying pathophysiology of schizophrenia and psychosis and describe how currently available and novel antipsychotic agents may work to ameliorate symptoms and bring about side effects. Chapter 1 discusses the neurobiology believed to underlie the positive, negative, cognitive, and affective symptoms of schizophrenia. Chapter 2 describes the mechanisms by which antipsychotic agents may reduce symptoms while bringing about adverse effects. Chapter 3 outline the currently available antipsychotic agents and discusses novel agents that may one day be available. Chapter 4 presents suggestions for ways to optimize functional outcomes in patients being treated for schizophrenia. Learning Objectives: After completing this activity, participants should be better able to: Understand the importance of cognitive factors in schizophrenia, including evolving new diagnostic criteria and methods for assessing cognition in clinical practice Differentiate antipsychotic drug treatments from each other on the basis of pharmacologic mechanisms and evidence-based clinical trial results Develop treatment strategies that are designed to enhance adherence Combine practice experience with evolving new evidence in order to integrate new and soon-to-be introduced treatments into clinical practice Accreditation and Credit Designation Statements: The Neuroscience Education Institute is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The Neuroscience Education Institute designates this educational activity for a maximum of 3.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Also available will be a certificate of participation for completing this activity. Nurses in most states may claim full credit for activities approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (for up to half of their recertification credit requirements). This activity is designated for 3.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Release Date: August 1, 2010 CME Credit Expiration Date: July 31, 2013 Media: Printed monograph Sponsor: This activity is sponsored by Neuroscience Education Institute. Support: This activity is supported by an educational grant from Sepracor Inc.