Research: Cognitive Effects of Risperidone in Children with Autism and Irritable Behavior

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Authored by Aman, MG, Hollway JA, McDougle CJ, Scahill L., Tierney E., McCracken JT, Arnold LE, Vitiello B., Ritz L., Gavaletz A., et al. in Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, Volume 18, Issue 3, p. 227-236, (2008).

Article summary (posted Sep 1, 2008):

Risperidone does not seem to have a negative effect on school performance in children with autism.

The purpose of this study was to see if risperidone therapy made it hard for children with autism to think and learn. The study had 38 children aged 5-17 years. The risperidone therapy did not seem to affect attention, eye-hand coordination, or short term memory. The children who received risperidone therapy did show better verbal learning and spatial memory than controls. Treatment with risperidone also seemed to help the children to better focus on tasks.

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attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, cognitive, drug, Risperdal (risperidone), school, therapy, treatment, verbal
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