Background
Risperidone has been shown to be clinically effective for the treatment of aggressive
behavior in children, yet no information is available regarding whether risperidone
exhibits aggression-specific suppression in preclinical studies that use validated
developmentally immature animal models of escalated aggression. Previously, we have
shown that exposure to low doses of the psychostimulant cocaine-hydrochloride (.5
mg/kg intraperitoneally) during the majority of pubertal development (postnatal days
[P]27–57) generates animals that exhibit a high level of offensive aggression. This
study examined whether risperidone exerts selective aggression-suppressing effects
by using this pharmacologic animal model of highly escalated offensive aggression.
Methods
Experimental hamsters were tested for offensive aggression after the acute administration
of risperidone (.05–1.0 mg/kg, intraperitoneally).
Results
Risperidone dose-dependently reduced the highly aggressive phenotype, with a significant
reduction observed at .1–.2 mg/kg for most aggressive responses measured. Experimental
animals treated with higher doses of risperidone (.3–1.0 mg/kg) showed significant
reductions in aggression and social interest toward intruders, indicating more general
behavioral inhibition.
Conclusions
These studies provide evidence that risperidone exerts specific aggression-suppressing
effects in a developmentally immature animal model of escalated aggression.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 27, 2007
Accepted:
August 23,
2006
Received in revised form:
August 23,
2006
Received:
January 25,
2006
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
