Management of clozapine–induced weight gain

Kerry Stott and Fiona Cassells review the literature on the subject of weight gain from a biopsychosocial perspective. They describe the physiological changes that occur in the hypothalamus of patients taking clozapine affecting appetite and look at the behavioural factors that can influence food choice. The purpose of this review was to explore whether the weight gain caused by clozapine was purely pharmaco-dynamic or whether there other factors were involved. Issues such as why people make specific food choices were explored, as well as whether there are any reasons other than food consumption that may affect weight gain.