Aripiprazole use in individuals with intellectual disability and psychotic or behavioural disorders: a case series.

People with intellectual disabilities may be at greater risk of developing movement disorders as a consequence of their underlying neurological damage, especially when they are treated with typical antipsychotic agents. Aripiprazole is a novel antipsychotic quinolone derivative that has been approved for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults. However, there are few reports on the use of aripiprazole in people with intellectual disabilities. Herein, we report on the use of aripiprazole in five individuals with intellectual disabilities and psychotic illness (four cases) or challenging behaviour (one case). Four of the five patients had an additional diagnosis of schizophrenia and one had autism spectrum disorder and challenging behaviour. Issues related to the usefulness of aripiprazole in the management of schizophrenia and challenging behaviour in people with intellectual disabilities are also discussed. Aripiprazole was well tolerated and effective in each of the cases and appears to be a safe and efficacious alternative in the management of patients with both intellectual disabilities and schizophrenia. It can also be a useful treatment option in the management of challenging behaviour, especially when it is used as a part of a biopsychosocial approach.