Abstract
The need for attaining an antipsychotic effect in elderly patients should not prevail over caution and striving to avoid undesirable symptoms. Thus, the decision to administer neuroleptics should be preceded by a careful analysis of not only possible beneficial results, but also the risk of side effects. Due to their tolerance profile, classical neuroleptics are less useful in the treatment of older patients. Atypicality implies here the following effects: absence (or much less pronounced level) of extrapyramidal symptoms and tardive dyskinesia, efficacy in the treatment of both positive and negative symptoms, improvement of cognitive functions, and none, or only negligible increase in prolactin level. Possibilities of treating elderly patients were discussed on the example of some older and more recent neuroleptics.