Pimozide (PMZ)

Pimozide is an antipsychotic drug of the diphenylbutylpiperidine class. It has a high potency compared to chlorpromazine. On a weight basis it is even more potent than haloperidol. It also has special neurologic indications for Tourette syndrome and resistant tics. The side effects include akathisia, tardive dyskinesia, and, more rarely, neuroleptic malignant syndrome and prolongation of the QT interval. Pimozide is used in its oral preparation in schizophrenia and chronic psychosis, Tourette syndrome and resistant tics. Pimozide has been used in the treatment of delusional disorder and paranoid personality disorder. It has also been used for delusions of parasitosis. Similarly to other typical antipsychotics pimozide has a high affinity for the Dopamine D2 receptor and this likely results in its sexual (due to prolactin hypersecretion) and extrapyramidal side effects as well as its therapeutic efficacy against the positive symptoms of schizophrenia.