title: Pharmacotherapy of irritability in pervasive developmental disorders.
abstract: Children and adolescents diagnosed with autism and related pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) often sustain irritability, including aggression, self-injurious behavior, and tantrums. Research to date supports the use of the atypical antipsychotics as a first-line pharmacologic treatment for this target symptom domain in PDDs. Currently, the atypical antipsychotic risperidone is the only medication approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for irritability in youth with autism. Additional large-scale, placebo-controlled studies of other medications are needed to determine their efficacy for the treatment of irritability in this diagnostic group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Riley Hospital for Children, Room 4300, 702 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5200, USA. kstigler@uipui.edu
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Stigler
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: McDougle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003000:Clonidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood / Q000187:drug effects*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D003000:Clonidine