The effects of chronic exposure to risperidone during adolescence on behavioral rigidity and impulsive choice in adulthood

Abstract

Risperidone is a second-generation antipsychotic that is commonly prescribed in children in adolescence. Its mechanism of action targets both serotonin and dopamine, both of which mediate different types of behavior, such as perseveration and impulsive choice. To test whether there was a long-term effect of chronic risperidone exposure on these behaviors, adolescent and adult mice were exposed to 2.5 mg/kg/day risperidone over a 28-day period, then tested on both a spatial discrimination reversal procedure and a delay discounting procedure 30 days after cessation of the drug. During the reversal procedure, adolescent exposed animals showed more behavioral rigidity. In the delay discounting procedure, both adolescent and adult exposed mice showed lower higher rates of discounting.