phenothiazine

n. A family of older, antipsychotic drugs often referred to as typical antipsychotics, including Thorazine, Stelazine, Haldol, and Prolixin. These drugs caused a revolution in the treatment of schizophrenia when they were first used in the 1950s which led to a great reduction in the institutionalization of psychotic individuals. They work primarily by blocking dopamine D2 receptors and have serious side effects including tardive dyskinesia, extrapyramidal symptoms, and sedation and may cause brain damage with long-term usage.