Is risperidone effective in reducing challenging behaviours in individuals with intellectual disabilities after 1 year or longer use? A placebo-controlled, randomised, double-blind discontinuation study.

Discontinuation of long-term risperidone for reducing challenging behaviours is possible, without an increase in irritability. Discontinuation of risperidone may have beneficial effects on weight, waist circumference, prolactin levels and testosterone levels. The study suffered from difficulties in achieving the required sample size, which affected study power and generalizability.