This invention provides a method for treating the symptoms of schizophrenia by interacting selectively with presynaptic dopaminergic D2 receptors without appreciably activating postsynaptic dopamine receptors which comprises administering to a schizophrenic an effective amount of a compound selected from the group consisting essentially of the stereoisomers of mixtures thereof of compounds represented by the general formula: <IMAGE> wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of pyridyl and <IMAGE> <IMAGE> <IMAGE> X is oxygen or sulfur, Y, if present, is selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, nitro, cyano, azido, amino, acylamino, carboxyamido, trifluoromethyl, sulfate, sulfonamido halogen, hydrocarbyl and hetero atom-substituted hydrocarbyl radicals, wherein said heteroatoms are selected from the group consisting of halogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and phosphorus and said hydrocarbyl radicals comprise from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and a is an integer between zero and 3, R2 is H, R4 is OA and R3 is selected from the group consisting of H and OA, A is H or is selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl radicals, or <IMAGE> R5 is selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl radical and n is 2 or 3.
Method for treating schizophrenia