neuroleptic

Borrowed from French neuroleptique, coined by Jean Delay and Pierre Deniker in 1955. Constructed from Ancient Greek νεῦρον (neûron, “neuron”) and λῆψις (lêpsis), noun form of λαμβάνω (lambánō, “take hold of”).

neuroleptic (plural neuroleptics)

1. (pharmacology) An antipsychotic drug.
   • 1956, Journal of Clinical and Experimental Psychopathology & Quarterly Review of Psychiatry and Neurology, volume 17, page 383:

     The time has come, therefore, to establish some definite criteria for the new drugs that Delay called neuroleptics, of which chlorpromazine and reserpine are the primary ones, although chemically different.

   • 1990, N. Sartorius, Anxiety: Psychobiological and Clinical Perspectives‎, page 259:

     Neuroleptics, the first psychopharmacological treatments reported to be effective in adults, were interpreted as potent antianxiety drugs giving rise to the term "major tranquilizer" that was popular in the United States until the early 1970s and were also used to treat anxiety symptoms in children (as were other agents, including psychostimulants and antihistamintes).

   • 2001, Roy Webster, Neurotransmitters, Drugs and Brain Function‎, page 359:

     Thus initially neuroleptics may increase DA turnover and possibly even its action depending on the degree of postsynaptic block.

• antipsychotic

• See also Thesaurus:antipsychotic

• thymoleptic

neuroleptic (not comparable)

1. (pharmacology) Having antipsychotic properties.
   • 1959, Psychopharmacology frontiers : proceedings of the pyschopharmacology symposium, page 131:

     By mouth in doses of 2 to 3 grains, combined with neuroleptic drugs, it has enabled us to bring about a certain number of improvements in chronic schizophrenics.

   • 1965, Horizons in Neuropsychopharmacology‎, page 121:

     The mechanisms underlying the appearance of the parkinson-like symptoms during neuroleptic treatments are not ascertained.

   • 2014, Philip B. Bradley, Introduction to Neuropharmacology‎, page 212:

     The neuroleptic drugs, and especially the phenothiazines, interact with a number of neurotransmitter systems in the brain and these actions can account for many of the pharmacological properties of the drugs.

• antipsychotic

• nonneuroleptic
• neuroleptic malignant syndrome

• intercouple

Borrowed from French neuroleptique.

neuroleptic m or n (feminine singular neuroleptică, masculine plural neuroleptici, feminine and neuter plural neuroleptice)

1. neuroleptic