Amphetamine Psychosis: A "Model" Schizophrenia Mediated by Catecholamines

Because of its close clinical similarity to acute paranoid schizophrenia, amphetamine psychosis may serve as a useful experimental model for schizophrenia. Molecular and clinical studies suggest that both the schizophrenia-like symptoms of amphetamine psychosis and the specific ability of phenothiazines to relieve the symptoms of schizophrenia and amphetamine psychosis may be the result of interactions with dopamine systems in the brain. The author discusses some implications of the roles dopamine and norepinephrine may play in mediating some schizophrenic symptoms.