Amoxapine: neuroleptic as well as antidepressant?

Amoxapine, a new antidepressant, is the N-desmethyl analog of loxapine, a neuroleptic. There have been reports suggesting that amoxapine itself or its metabolites have neuroleptic as well as antidepressant properties. With in vitro studies using a radioreceptor assay for neuroleptics, the authors found that amoxapine--and one of its metabolites in particular (7-hydroxyamoxapine)--have potent neuroleptic-like activity. Furthermore, blood specimens from patients receiving amoxapine showed the presence of neuroleptic activity in the same assay. The authors note the implications of these findings for gauging the benefits and risks of treatment with amoxapine, including the risk of neurologic effects.