title: Risperidone in the treatment of schizotypal personality disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) has many phenomenological, genetic, physiologic, and neuroanatomical commonalities with schizophrenia. Patients with the disorder often suffer from marked social and occupational impairment, yet they have been difficult to treat with medications because of their unusual sensitivity to side effects. This study was designed to determine whether low-dose risperidone treatment is acceptable to SPD patients and can reduce characteristic schizotypal symptoms. In addition, if SPD patients respond to an antipsychotic medication, this will provide support for the notion of a commonality in treatment response between SPD and schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five patients with DSM-IV-defined SPD were entered into a 9-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of low-dose risperidone (starting dose of 0.25 mg/day, titrated upward to 2 mg/day) in the treatment of SPD. Patients were rated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Schizotypal Personality Disorder Questionnaire, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and the Clinical Global Impressions scale. Data were collected from 1995 to 2001.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The subjects had a low incidence of depression and of comorbid borderline personality disorder. Patients receiving active medication had significantly (p <.05) lower scores on the PANSS negative and general symptom scales by week 3 and on the PANSS positive symptom scale by week 7 compared with patients receiving placebo. Side effects were generally well tolerated, and there was no group difference in dropout rate for side effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-dose risperidone appears to be effective in reducing symptom severity in SPD and is generally well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10468, USA.
authors.forename: Harold W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Koenigsberg
authors.forename: Diedre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Antonia S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: New
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mitropoulou
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Trestman
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.forename: Larry J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Siever
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D010919:Placebos; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D018967:Risperidone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010919:Placebos; D018967:Risperidone