Elsevier

Research in Developmental Disabilities

Volume 31, Issue 6, November–December 2010, Pages 1570-1576
Research in Developmental Disabilities

Antipsychotic drug side effects for persons with intellectual disability

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2010.05.005Get rights and content

Abstract

Antipsychotic drugs are the most frequently prescribed of the psychotropic drugs among the intellectually disabled (ID) population. Given their widespread use, efforts to systematically assess and report side effects are warranted. Specific scaling methods such as the Matson Evaluation of Side Effects (MEDS), the Abnormal Inventory Movement Scale (AIMS), and Dyskinesia Identification System Condensed User Scale (DISCUS) are reviewed. Symptom patterns and a focus on additional research are discussed. While progress has been made, more and more systematic methods to research these problems are necessary.

Section snippets

Measurement methods

A number of assessment scales have been designed to evaluate the psychotropic side effects for persons with ID or have been modified for use with this group. The primary measures are the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) (Guy, 1976), the Dyskinesia Identification System Condensed User Scale (DISCUS) (Bostrom and Walker, 1990, Granger et al., 1987Kalachnik and Sprague, 1993, Sprague et al., 1993), and the Matson Evaluation of the Drug Side Effects (MEDS) (Matson et al., 1998, Matson et

Tardive dyskinesia (TD)

The most frequently researched of the psychotropic drug side effects is TD. The disorder was first described and labeled by Uhrbrand and Faurbye (1960). It is a syndrome constituted by involuntary movements that are produced by long term use of antipsychotic drugs, and 20–40% of people are medicated with this drug class (Marsden & Jenner, 1980). Researchers and clinicians have historically been slow to recognize and treat these TD symptoms. For example, since the introduction of resperdine in

Conclusions

A number of papers have been published providing a rationale for the benefits of psychotropic medication use among persons with developmental disabilities (Santosh and Baird, 1999, Valdovinos, 2007). It has been asserted, and we concur that in most instances neuroleptics, the most commonly prescribed psychotropic medications for persons with ID, are prescribed for their sedative effects rather than for specific antipsychotic effects (Gualtieri & Hawk, 1980). Having noted that, it is

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