[Risperidone as a tool to control hard aggression].
BACKGROUND: It is a challenge to give adequate help to patients who have problems controlling their aggression. Stimulation of 5-HT1A receptors and blockage of 5-HT2A receptors is known to have antiaggressive effects. Risperidone is an antipsychotic drug with a combined effect as a dopamine antagonist and a 5-HT2A receptor antagonist. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Risperidone in dosages from 0.25 to 1 mg daily was administered to 11 patients with restlessness, concentration problems, tics and aggression that was hard to control. The patients were 11 to 47 years of age, most of them were also taking other medications, and all received other kinds of treatment, e.g. psychotherapy. There was no control group. RESULTS: More than half of the patients gained far better control of their temper. Two of the patients were taken off risperidone treatment after a short period of time because of side effects and no effect on temper. INTERPRETATION: The observed effect of risperidone on aggression is in concordance with other reports, but in lower dosages than reported elsewhere. Risperidone therefore seems promising as an adjuvant in treating patients with hard controllable aggression, even in very low dosages, though their is a need for systematic studies to assess the effect.