Amisulpride Does Not Cause Brain Tumors
Amisulpride is an atypical antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia and does not cause brain tumors. There is no evidence in the medical literature linking amisulpride to brain tumor development.
What the Evidence Shows
The available evidence addresses amisulpride's safety profile and side effects, but brain tumor causation is not among them:
Known Side Effects of Amisulpride
Prolactin elevation is the most significant endocrine effect, with one case report documenting development of a pituitary microadenoma (5mm prolactinoma) after 4 months of amisulpride 300mg daily, which resolved after discontinuation 1
Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) can occur even at low doses, including akathisia, acute dystonia, and drug-induced Parkinsonism, though amisulpride causes significantly less EPS than typical antipsychotics 2, 3, 4
Weight gain is minimal compared to other atypical antipsychotics like olanzapine and risperidone, with amisulpride having one of the lowest potentials for weight gain among antipsychotic agents 2, 5
Important Distinction: Prolactinoma vs. Brain Tumor
The single case report of a pituitary adenoma 1 represents:
- A benign pituitary tumor (prolactinoma), not a malignant brain tumor
- A reversible condition that resolved after stopping amisulpride
- A prolactin-mediated effect, not direct tumor causation
- An extremely rare occurrence in the literature
Clinical Context
The guidelines and research provided focus extensively on brain tumors and their management 6, 7, 8, but none identify amisulpride or any antipsychotic medication as a risk factor or cause of primary or metastatic brain tumors.
Bottom Line
Amisulpride does not cause brain tumors. The medication's primary concerns relate to prolactin elevation (which can rarely cause benign pituitary adenomas), extrapyramidal symptoms, and metabolic effects—not malignant brain tumor development.