Last Updated: July 21, 2003
Neuroleptic medications, also known as antipsychotics, are used to treat a wide variety of serious mental illnesses. Most of the antipsychotic medications affect dopamine production or absorption, but some also act on serotonin or other transmitters.
There are two groups of antipsychotics:
*Conventional antipsychotics
*Atypical antipsychotics
Conventional antipsychotics were developed in the 1950s and 1960s. These medications, though considered a breakthrough for mental illness, had side-effects that would later be eliminated or reduced with the creation of atypical antipsychotics.
Aytpical Antipsychotics include:
*Risperdal (risperidone)
*Seroquel (quetiapine)
*Zyprexa (olanzapine)
*Zeldox (ziprasidone)
*Clozaril (clozapine)
Aytpical Antipsychotic medications have come around more recently and have been used to help mental conditions such as:
*schizophrenia
*psychosis
*self-injurious behavior
*painful ticcing
*autism/PDD
These newer antipsychotics, the atypicals, have fewer side effects than the original conventional antipsychotic medications. Side effects to be aware of when taking any antipsychotic medication include:
*agranulocytosis (a dramatic drop in white blood cell count)
*neuroleptic malignant syndrome (neurological disorder most often caused by an adverse reaction to neuroleptic or antipsychotic drugs)
*tardive dyskinesia (dysfunctional, involuntary movements including facial tics, grimacing, eye blinking, lip smacking, tongue thrusting, moving one's head back or to the side, foot tapping, ankle movements, shuffled gait, and head nodding)
*withdawel dyskinesia (temporary episodes with symptons similar to Tardive Dyskinedia, which occur when the medication is stopped)
*weight gain, though not nearly as severe a side-effect as those mentioned above, has also been observed with the use of antipsychotic medications
Of all the atypical neuroleptics, Risperdal and Zyprexa are the two most commonly prescribed for use with pervasive development disorders. Both are similar in that they target dopamine and serotonin receptors, which helps to control behavioral problems seen in some children with autism. Such behavioral problems include:
*self-injury
*aggression
*hyperactivity
*tantrums
Current findings suggest that the use of anti-psychotic medications was successful and well tolerated for the treatment of serious behavioral disturbances in autistic children. In clinical trials, autistic children showed improved behavior on risperdal as opposed to placebo and experienced minimal neurological side-effects. At this time, the main side-effect associated with risperdal for aggression in autism has been substantial weight gain (an average of about a six-pound increase in the 8-week period).
Medication Home Pages
Seroquel Home Page
Zyprexa Home Page
Zyprexa's Orally Disintegrating Tablets Approved by the FDA on July 10, 2003
Risperdal Home Page
Use of Atypical Neuroleptics For Autism: Articles
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Pharmacokinetic comparison of fast-disintegrating and conventional tablet formulations of risperidone in healthy volunteers, from Clin Ther. 2003 Jun;25(6):1687-99
ABSTRACT: What is an Adequate Trial with Clozapine? : Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Time to Response in Treatment-Refractory Schizophrenia
REVIEW: Further Study Needed on Cognitive Effects of New Antiepileptic Drugs
NIMH Study Finds Anti-Psychotic Medication Useful in Treating Serious Behavioral Problems among Children with Autism
ABSTRACT: Risperidone in children with autism and serious behavioral problems, from N Engl J Med. 2002 Aug 1;347(5):314-21
Risperidone in Children with Autism and Serious Behavioral Problems, from The New England Journal of Medicine August 1, 2002
ABSTRACT: Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology (RUPP) Autism Network. Background and rationale for an initial controlled study of risperidone, from Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2000 Jan;9(1):201-24
Risperidone in Children with Autism and Serious Behavioral Problems
Antipsychotic Use and Autism, from The National Institute of Mental Health
Risperdal and Aggression in Autism, from about.com
New Drug [Risperdal]Seems to Help Child Autism, from MedTech News
Advice on the use of Prozac and other SSRI antidepressant drugs in Autism/PDD [adding Rispedal to help control aggression while starting SSRI treatment]
New Class of Antipsychotic Drug Helps Severe Autism
Atypical Antipsychotic Use in Treating Adolescents and Young Adults With Developmental Disabilities, from The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
Table III - "Atypical" Neuroleptics in Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Use of Atypical Neuroleptics: General Articles
ABSTRACT: Chlorpromazine equivalent doses for the newer atypical antipsychotics, from J Clin Psychiatry. 2003 Jun;64(6):663-7
ABSTRACT: Conventional Antipsychotic Prescription in Unipolar Depression, II: Withdrawing Conventional Antipsychotics in Unipolar, Nonpsychotic Patients, from J Clin Psychiatry. 2003 Jun;64(6):668-672
ABSTRACT: Diabetes Mellitus Type II - Induced by "Atypical" Neuroleptics?, from Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr. 2003 Jun;71(6):312-22
Risperdal Side Effects
ABSTRACT: Clinical experience with the long-acting injectable formulation of the atypical antipsychotic, risperidone, from Curr Med Res Opin. 2003;19(4):298-305
ABSTRACT: The implications of weight changes with antipsychotic treatment, from J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2003 Jun;23(3 Suppl):S21-6
Side Effects with the Use of Antipsychotic Medications
"Atypical" or "Safer" Antipsychotics
(and why they're not so safe)
Tardive Dyskinesia, Written by Stephen M. Edelson
NINDS Tardive Dyskinesia Information Page
NINDS Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome Information Page
Drug Induced Movement Disorders: NEUROLEPTIC MALIGNANT SYNDROME
ABSTRACT: Weight gain and antipsychotic medication: differences between antipsychotic-free and treatment periods, from J Clin Psychiatry. 2001 Sep;62(9):694-700
Antipsychotic Metabolic Effects: Weight Gain, Diabetes Mellitus, and Lipid Abnormalities, from The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
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