Effects of topiramate on aggressive, self-injurious, and disruptive/destructive behaviors in the intellectually disabled: An open-label retrospective study

This study reviews the treatment response to the antiepileptic drug topiramate (Topamax-mean dose 202 mg/d, range 150-350 mg/d) of a group of 22 institutionalized intellectually disabled adults (8 males, 14 females, mean age 46.5 years, age range 25-70 years). These individuals were predominantly classified as having severe or profound intellectual disability and as having a mood disorder. The individuals studied were treated for aggression, self-injurious behaviors, destructive/disruptive behaviors or a combination of these, and/or other challenging and maladaptive behaviors. All subjects were receiving concurrent psychotropic and/or anticonvulsant medications. Effectiveness was determined by retrospective review of summaries of quarterly multidisciplinary Neuropschiatric Behavioral Reviews. Assignment of global severity scores and evaluation of longitudinal behavioral graphs of target symptoms occurred. Overall, statistically significant decreases in global severity scores and in the cumulative aggression and worst behavior rates occurred in the subjects, especially when the 3 months before and the 3 to 6 months after starting topiramate were compared. The overall subject group showed no significant weight changes. One subject developed delirium, 1 developed hypoglycemia, 1 developed sedation, and 2 developed constipation. The results suggest that topiramate may have a role in the treatment of challenging/\maladaptive behaviors in intellectually disabled individuals.