Risperidone for the Core Symptom Domains of Autism: Results From the Study by the Autism Network of the Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology

Abstract

Objective: Risperidone has been found efficacious for decreasing severe tantrums, aggression, and self-injurious behavior in children and adolescents with autistic disorder (autism). The authors report on whether risperidone improves the core symptoms of autism, social and communication impairment and repetitive and stereotyped behavior.Method: The database from an 8-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (N= 101) and 16-week open-label continuation study (N=63) of risperidone for children and adolescents with autism was used to test for drug effects on secondary outcome measures: scores on the Ritvo-Freeman Real Life Rating Scale, the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, and the maladaptive behavior domain of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales.

Use of Psychotropic Medication in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…28 Risperidone has been shown to improve irritability symptoms; improvements in restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior; interest; and activities. 29 Since 2006, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved 2 atypical antipsychotic medications for treatment of irritability in autistic disorder (risperidone for children 5 to 16 years and aripiprazole for those aged 6 to 17 years), and the a-agonists guanfacine and clonidine have been approved for treatment of ADHD in new extended release formulations for children aged 6 to 17 years. The evidence for effectiveness of medications is gradually accumulating, 30,31 and physician prescription of these medicines to treat ASD and comorbid psychiatric conditions will likely increase with time.…”

Assessment and Treatment of Obsessions and Compulsions in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: a Systematic Review

“…RCTs treating OCD symptoms among participants with ASD, 11 studies (Hollander et al 2005(Hollander et al , 2006aKing et al 2009;Martin et al 1999Martin et al , 2003McDougle et al 1997McDougle et al , 2000McDougle et al , 2005Posey et al 2007;Stigler et al 2009) evaluated interventions for children and adolescents (<18 years), 6 studies (McDougle et al 1995a(McDougle et al , 1996(McDougle et al , 1998Buchsbaum et al 2001;Hollander et al 2003Hollander et al , 2012 evaluated treatment for adults, and 2 studies (Gordon et al 1993;Potenza et al 1999) included both children and adults. None included participants with a formal diagnosis of OCD.…”

“…No clinically significant adverse effects were reported during the 12 weeks of intervention. McDougle et al (2005) conducted a second 12-week double-blind, placebocontrolled RCT with 101 children and adolescents with ASD. Following treatment, the mean CY-BOCS score decreased from 15.51 (SD=2.73) to 11.65 (SD=4.02) in the risperidone group which was compared with a change of 15.18 (SD= 3.88) to 14.21 (SD=4.81) in the placebo group (p <0.005; d = 0.55).…”

Determination of risperidone and enantiomers of 9-hydroxyrisperidone in plasma by LC-MS/MS

“…RIS selectively antagonizes dopamine (D2) and serotonin (5HT2) receptor systems in the brain and has a lower propensity to induce extrapyramidal adverse events at therapeutic doses [1,2]. It is effective in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychiatric illnesses in adults and children including pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), autism and attention-deficit disorder (ADD) [3,4]. Despite the widespread use of RIS in children with PDD pharmacokinetic data in this patient population are lacking [5].…”