Ea. Ashleigh et Pd. Larsen, A SYNDROME OF INCREASED AFFECT IN RESPONSE TO RISPERIDONE AMONG PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA, Psychiatric services, 49(4), 1998, pp. 526-528
Six of 13 outpatients with schizophrenia who participated in a ten-wee
k open trial of risperidone had an initial good response to the medica
tion followed by development of intolerable affect, including feelings
of agitation and depression and Periods of crying and insomnia, Patie
nts who developed this syndrome did not differ from other patients in
baseline ratings on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the
Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms, except that patients wh
o developed the syndrome had 3 significantly higher mean baseline rati
ng on the BPRS anxiety subscale. The authors suggest that risperidone
may increase affect in patients with schizophrenia and that some patie
nts, especially those with anxiety, may have difficulty managing the i
ncrease.