Buspirone is an anti-anxiety medication. Originally intended as an antipsychotic, the medicine was shown to be ineffective for psychosis, although it did have anxiolytic properties that were beneficial. Buspirone has lately regained popularity, owing mostly to its lower side-effect profile when compared to other anxiolytic therapies. It is believed that by selectively binding to serotonin receptors, buspirone can alleviate anxiety without causing the psychoses associated with typical antipsychotics. Anxiolytics are medications used to treat anxiety disorders. Buspirone is one of these medications. It works by reducing anxiety symptoms by acting on certain parts of the brain. It does this by binding to specific sites on neurons (cells that communicate information through nerves) called serotonin 5-HT1A receptors. Antipsychotics are drugs used to treat psychotic disorders. They work by changing how certain cells in the brain function. Antipsychotics can be divided into two groups: typical and atypical. Typical antipsychotics such as haloperidol increase the amount of dopamine released by neurons. This causes problems for people taking this type of drug because they release too much dopamine themselves. As a result, they experience motor problems, depression, anxiety, irritability, drowsiness, and weight gain. At least half of all people diagnosed with schizophrenia will experience some kind of negative side effect while taking a typical antipsychotic.