Treatment for schizophrenia has come a long way in past decades. Currently, the gold standard of treatment is antipsychotic drugs. The original antipsychotics are called first-generation drugs. Newer antipsychotics are called second-generation drugs. Second-generation drugs are used more often because experts think they have fewer side effects and may be better at treating certain schizophrenia symptoms.1
But for some, schizophrenia is not well controlled with these drugs. Drug side effects can also be bothersome and cause complications. To combat these issues, researchers are investigating new treatment options. A few emerging options are described below, but new research and ideas are always in progress.1,2
Drugs on the horizon
As mentioned, current antipsychotics for schizophrenia can have bad side effects and do not always control symptoms. Most of these drugs work by targeting dopamine receptors in the brain.3
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, which is a chemical the brain uses to send messages. These messages control the way the body functions. They also control how you think and act. Receptors are proteins that receive these messages and lead to changes in the body.3
Newer drugs under investigation target receptors other than dopamine receptors. One common target is the muscarinic receptor. This receptor affects acetylcholine, another neurotransmitter. Other possible neurotransmitter targets are serotonin and glutamate. Some drugs affect the action of multiple neurotransmitters at once.1,4,5
Research into TAAR1 drugs
One promising type of drug in the research pipeline targets the trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1). This receptor responds to broken-down proteins in the body called amino acids. These broken-down proteins and the TAAR1 receptor may play a role in mood and cognition (the way you think and process information). TAAR1 also plays a role in the regulation of dopamine.2,4,5
TAAR1 receptors are located in areas of the brain that experts think are directly affected by schizophrenia. By changing the way these receptors send messages, this new class of drugs may reduce schizophrenia symptoms. Experts think this class of drugs may also help treat other common, co-occurring conditions with schizophrenia. Examples include substance use issues and metabolic syndrome.4
SPECT brain scans
Body imaging technology has advanced in recent decades. One type of scan that has received a lot of attention is the single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan. It is a type of CT scan. CT scans are fast, X-ray-based images of the brain. They are helpful for looking at brain structure.6
A SPECT scan uses technology to see how the brain looks and functions. People having a SPECT scan also have a biofeedback session at the same time. Biofeedback involves placing tiny stickers that detect electric waves (electrodes) on the scalp. The electrodes track brain activity in response to different questions or tasks. The SPECT scan can then show which parts of the brain are active or inactive in different people.6,7
Mapping these patterns can help paint a better picture of what happens in a brain affected by schizophrenia. This could potentially help with diagnosis and treatment. But much more research is needed. At this time, diagnosing and treating schizophrenia is still done by a psychiatrist using well-established tools. SPECT scans are not yet standard. They are currently only used as a research tool for schizophrenia.6,7
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) involves delivering small pulses of electricity to the brain to activate or deactivate different areas. It is used to treat some cases of major depressive disorder.8
Some research suggests TMS could make a difference in treating what are known as “negative” symptoms of schizophrenia. These symptoms, like lack of motivation, pleasure, and emotional responses, can be tricky to improve. They do not always respond to antipsychotic drugs. Negative symptoms also strongly affect quality of life. Managing these symptoms is always an area of need in schizophrenia treatment.1,8
Digital “smart” pills
Digital smart pills track treatments, mood, activity, and more. They can be helpful in monitoring if and when you took a pill so you do not miss any doses. Smart pills can also be helpful for caregivers to track treatment adherence.9
Some smart pills have a tiny sensor in them. The sensor is no bigger than a grain of rice. Once the pill is swallowed, it communicates a signal to a patch the person is wearing. This patch has a Bluetooth sensor that connects to a smartphone app.9
You can enter information about your mood, activity, and more into the app. This allows the app to collect lots of data for your doctor to review. Monitoring how your treatment is working and what is happening on a day-to-day basis can affect treatment decisions.9
Psilocybin mushrooms
Psilocybin mushrooms are commonly known as the psychedelic drug “shrooms” or magic mushrooms. But in recent years they have been researched as a potential treatment option for certain mental health conditions. Some experts believe they help regrow connections in the brain that may have been lost due to schizophrenia. This may be especially helpful in treating negative symptoms.10
There is some promising research on using psilocybin to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, among other conditions. However, as for schizophrenia, psilocybin is not currently considered a treatment and is only a hypothesized topic of research at this time.10
Some forms of psilocybin cause hallucinations, while others do not. Hallucinogen use by people with psychotic disorder risks worsening symptoms and leading to symptom relapse. Research into psilocybin use for any health issue is highly supervised and controlled.10
These emerging treatments are just that: emerging. They are not yet fully fledged treatments, and much more research is needed to understand the safety and impact of all the treatments described here.10