Which drug is listed as an adjunctive treatment for major depressive disorder?

• A. Clozapine
• B. Haloperidol
• C. Lurasidone
• D. Paliperidone

Answer: (A)

Augmenting antidepressant therapy with an atypical antipsychotic is a recognized strategy when major depressive disorder does not fully respond to antidepressants. Among the options, clozapine is a last-resort antipsychotic used mainly for treatment-resistant schizophrenia and carries risks like agranulocytosis; it’s not approved or appropriate as an adjunct for depression. Haloperidol is a typical antipsychotic with limited evidence and more extrapyramidal risks for depression augmentation, so it’s not the preferred choice. Lurasidone has FDA approval specifically for adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder when antidepressants alone are insufficient, supported by trials showing additional depressive symptom improvement and a more favorable metabolic profile. Paliperidone is not approved for adjunctive treatment of depression. Thus, lurasidone is the best choice for adjunctive therapy in this context.