Practical Applications of Recent Antipsychotic Effectiveness Data.

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At its introduction in 1989, clozapine— the first and prototype of the "atypical" or "second-generation" antipsychotics— was thought to be a major advancement in the treatment of severe mental illness. Clozapine and the atypical antipsychotics developed in its wake were thought to be more effective and have fewer side effects than the conventional antipsychotics. Although the atypical antipsychotics had fewer neurologic side effects, they had a greater propensity to cause weight gain and metabolic side effects.