Elsevier

Biological Psychiatry

Volume 62, Issue 3, 1 August 2007, Pages 226-234
Biological Psychiatry

Original Article
Risperidone and Cognitive Function in Children With Disruptive Behavior Disorders

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.09.036Get rights and content

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.

Section snippets

Methods and Materials

Detailed information regarding patient populations, study designs, procedures, and data analysis has been previously published for two double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-week studies (Aman et al 2002, Snyder et al 2002), their 1-year, open-label extensions (Findling et al 2004, Turgay et al 2002), and a separate 1-year, open-label study (Croonenberghs et al. 2005). Institutional review boards at each center approved the respective studies. Similar populations, measures, medications, and data

Results

A total of 228 subjects participated in the two short-term studies, and 688 subjects participated in the three one-year studies. Baseline characteristics are presented in Table 2. Eighty-three percent of risperidone-treated and 68% of placebo-treated patients completed the 6-week, double-blind studies. The most common reason for withdrawal among placebo patients was insufficient response (28%, Table 3). Few risperidone-treated patients withdrew owing to insufficient response (6%) or adverse

Discussion

As previously reported for individual studies, combined analysis indicated that risperidone treatment was associated with improvements on the NCBRF Conduct Problem subscale in both short- and long-term studies. The present analysis focused on an examination of cognitive function in a large number of children. No declines in measures of attention or verbal learning were noted with either risperidone or placebo during short-term (six weeks) treatment. Importantly, combined data from three

References (22)

  • R.L. Findling et al.

    Long-term open-label study of risperidone in children with severe disruptive behaviors and subaverage intelligence

    Am J Psychiatry

    (2004)
  • Cited by (20)

    • The prevalence of psychiatric disorders among 3–4 year olds in an urban sample in Bangladesh

      2020, Asian Journal of Psychiatry
      Citation Excerpt :

      The developing capacity from birth to six is crucial to experience, regulate, and express emotions; to form close relationships; and to explore the environment and learn — all in the context of family, community, and cultural expectations for young children. The many emotional and behavioral problems start during preschool age and they continue to prevail in further developmental stages (Pandina et al., 2007). Therefore, it is now recognized that very young children can experience significant emotional and behavioral problems similar to the latter period.

    • Scaling methods to measure psychopathology in persons with intellectual disabilities

      2012, Research in Developmental Disabilities
      Citation Excerpt :

      Snyder et al. (2002) conducted a similar study with 110 children who were 5–12 years old again using risperidone. The same methodology in Snyder et al. (2002) has been used in multiple other studies (Aman, Binder, & Turgay, 2004; Aman et al., 2009; Biederman et al., 2006; Croonenberghs, Fegert, Findling, De Smedt, & Van Dongen, 2005; Findling et al., 2003, 2006, 2007; Findling, Aman, Eerdekens, Derivan, & Lyons, 2004; LeBlanc et al., 2005; Pandina et al., 2007; Reyes, Buitelaar, Toren, Augustyns, and Eerdekens, 2006; Reyes, Croonenberghs, Augustyns, & Eerdekens, 2006; Shea et al., 2004). We chose to include the NCBRF given the emphasis by the authors on measuring emotional problems.

    • Using a Delphi Process to Update the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form

      2022, American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text