also favored risperidone over placebo, according to the authors. Headache, drowsiness, fatigue, and increased appetite were the most frequently reported treatment side effects. Most adverse events were mild to moderate. Overall, 1.7 percent of risperidone-treated patients and 0.6 percent of placebo-treated patients discontinued treatment during the maintenance phase. Intellectual function, including verbal learning, memory and attention, was not affected by risperidone treatment, Reyes and colleagues point out. The researchers conclude that maintenance therapy with risperidone improves symptoms of disruptive behavior disorder and conduct disorder symptoms, while preserving intellectual functioning. This finding is important because about 66 percent of the patients also had attention deficient hypertension disorder. --SP 23 19 Local Time 20 19 GMT
