Abstract
Self injurious behavior (SIB) is frequent in autistic spectrum disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the phenomenology of SIB in a group of children with autistic disorder, and to test whether treatment with risperidone might reduce it. A group of eleven children diagnosed with autistic disorder according to the DSM-IV criteria (mean age 8.7+/-2.2 ys) and with severe SIB were recruited for an open study of six months of treatment with risperidone. The Yale-Paris Self-Injurious Behavior Scale was used to delineate the clinical characteristics and as an outcome measure. Head-hitting and hand biting were the most frequent forms of self aggression observed. Nine children presented a mild improvement in SIB and 2 did not show any variation. A decrease in Yale-Paris Self Injurious Behavior Scale score (from M 15.1+/-1.4 to 13.3+/-1.4) was noted mainly due to the reduction of frequency. Side effects of risperidone were not severe.
MeSH terms
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Antipsychotic Agents / administration & dosage*
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Antipsychotic Agents / adverse effects
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Autistic Disorder / complications*
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Autistic Disorder / drug therapy*
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Autistic Disorder / physiopathology
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Brain / drug effects
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Brain / metabolism
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Brain / physiopathology
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Brain Chemistry / drug effects
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Brain Chemistry / physiology
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Child
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Dopamine / metabolism
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Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Receptors, Dopamine / drug effects
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Receptors, Dopamine / metabolism
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Receptors, Serotonin / drug effects
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Receptors, Serotonin / metabolism
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Risperidone / administration & dosage*
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Risperidone / adverse effects
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Self-Injurious Behavior / drug therapy*
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Self-Injurious Behavior / etiology*
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Self-Injurious Behavior / physiopathology
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Serotonin / metabolism
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Synaptic Transmission / drug effects
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Synaptic Transmission / physiology
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Treatment Outcome
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Weight Gain / drug effects
Substances
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Antipsychotic Agents
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Receptors, Dopamine
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Receptors, Serotonin
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Serotonin
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Risperidone
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Dopamine