Background
Effects of risperidone on cognitive function in children with disruptive behavior
disorders (DBDs) and subaverage intelligence quotient (IQ) were assessed.
Methods
Data from two 6-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies (n = 228) were combined, as were three 1-year, open-label studies (n = 688). Patients with DBDs and subaverage IQ, 5 to14 years, received placebo or risperidone
.02 to .06 mg/kg/day. Cognitive measures included the Continuous Performance Task
(CPT) and Verbal Learning Test for Children (VLT-C). Efficacy was assessed using the
Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form (NCBRF). Adverse events were collected via spontaneous
report; sedation was assessed using visual analog scale.
Results
Improvements on the NCBRF Conduct Problem subscale were significantly greater for
risperidone- versus placebo-treated patients (−15.8 vs. −6.4, p < .0001) in short-term studies; significant reductions were observed in long-term
studies (−16.3, p < .0001). No overall decline and some significant improvement in attention (CPT)
and memory (VLT-C) were noted regardless of treatment in short-term studies. VLT-C
improved significantly (p < .0001) for both groups, with no difference between treatment groups. Improvements
in memory (VLT-C) and attention (CPT) were noted in long-term studies. Somnolence/sedation
did not affect cognitive function.
Conclusions
Cognitive function was not altered by risperidone in short-term studies and was maintained
or improved with one year of treatment in children with DBDs and subaverage IQ, potentially
representing age-appropriate gains.
Key Words
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Biological PsychiatryAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of risperidone for the treatment of disruptive behaviors in children with subaverage intelligence.Am J Psychiatry. 2002; 159: 1337-1346
- The aberrant behavior checklist: a behavior rating scale for the assessment of treatment effects.Am J Ment Defic. 1985; 89: 485-491
- The Nisonger CBRF: a child behavior rating form for children with developmental disabilities.Res Dev Disabil. 1996; 17: 41-57
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC2000
- The evolution of ADHD: a disorder of communication?.Q Rev Biol. 2000; 75: 17-35
- Oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder: a review of the past 10 years, part II.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2002; 41: 1275-1293
- Risperidone in children with disruptive behavior disorders and subaverage intelligence: a one-year, open-label study of 504 patients.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2005; 44: 64-72
- CVLT-C: California Verbal Learning Test–Children’s Version. The Psychological Corporation, San Antonio, TX1994
- Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–Third Edition. AGS Publishing, Circle Pines, MN1997
- Long-term open-label study of risperidone in children with severe disruptive behaviors and subaverage intelligence.Am J Psychiatry. 2004; 161: 677-684
- Neurocognitive deficits and functional outcome in schizophrenia: are we measuring the “right stuff”?.Schizophr Bull. 2000; 26: 119-136
- Changes in cognitive functioning with risperidone and olanzapine treatment: a large-scale, double-blind, randomized study.Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2003; 169: 404-411
- Studies of cognitive change in patients with schizophrenia following novel antipsychotic treatment.Am J Psychiatry. 2001; 158: 176-184
- Comparative effects of risperidone and olanzapine on cognition in elderly patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2003; 18: 820-829
- Treatment of cognitive impairment in early psychosis: a comparison of risperidone and haloperidol in a large long-term trial.Am J Psychiatry. 2005; 162: 1888-1895
- Risperidone in children with autism and serious behavioral problems.N Engl J Med. 2002; 347: 314-321
- Sustained attention in children at risk for schizophrenia.Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1977; 34: 571-575
- Risperidone in the treatment of disruptive behavioral symptoms in children with autistic and other pervasive developmental disorders.Pediatrics. 2004; 114: e634-e641
- Pragmatics of measuring recognition memory: Applications to dementia and amnesia.J Exp Psychol. 1988; 117: 34-50
- Effects of risperidone on conduct and disruptive behavior disorders in children with subaverage IQs.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2002; 41: 1026-1036
- Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. AGS Publishing, Circle Pines, MN1984
- Long-term safety and efficacy of risperidone for the treatment of disruptive behavior disorders in children with subaverage IQs.Pediatrics. 2002; 110: e34
Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 09, 2007
Accepted:
September 21,
2006
Received in revised form:
September 11,
2006
Received:
August 25,
2006
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
