Halopemide, a new psychotropic agent. Cerebral distribution and receptor interactions.

Halopemide is a new psychotropic agent, a structural analogue of the neuroleptics of the butyrophenone type but with different pharmacological and clinical properties. Preliminary clinical findings indicate that halopemide lacks the ability to induce parkinsonism and may be an effective drug in the treatment of psychosis characterized by autism, emotional withdrawal or apathy. Its pharmacological effects at a molecular level in comparison to structurally related neuroleptics and putative metabolites are reviewed.