A study of the clinical outcome of patients with profound mental retardation gradually withdrawn from chronic neuroleptic medication.
In a naturalistic study of 23 severely and profoundly mentally retarded adult male patients undergoing slow "diagnostic" neuroleptic taper, it was determined that at least 60% could eventually be managed without psychoactive medication. However, many of these demonstrated a remarkably long, but nonetheless transient, period of worsening. This suggests that behavioral deterioration during drug reduction trials does not always indicate a need for chronic neuroleptic maintenance since these behaviors may return to baseline without pharmacological intervention. On the other hand, 40% demonstrated persistent (> 2 years) behavioral worsening. Those individuals who demonstrated persistent deterioration had been generally well controlled on neuroleptics, were somewhat older, and were receiving a higher baseline dose. Most of these persistently worsened subjects currently require some type of psychoactive medication (although only two have been returned to neuroleptics).
May
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Department of Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, USA.
London
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EB
Zimmerman
T
T
Thompson
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R
Mento
T
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Spreat
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S
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D013881:Thioridazine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D013881:Thioridazine