-Review-

Second-Generation Antipsychotic Drugs for Children and Adolescents

Yuichi Onishi, Katsunaka Mikami, Keitaro Kimoto, Natsuru Watanabe, Yuki Takahashi, Fumiaki Akama, Kenji Yamamoto and Hideo Matsumoto

Department of Psychiatry, Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan

The effectiveness and safety of antipsychotics have not been fully established in children and adolescents. Many antipsychotics approved for use in adults are prescribed off-label to children and adolescents. We investigated the effectiveness and tolerability of antipsychotics for children and adolescents with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A literature review of the empirical evidence regarding the use of antipsychotics, particularly second-generation antipsychotics, in children and adolescents showed that these drugs were safe and effective for this population. Antipsychotics were similarly effective for treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in children and adolescents. When prescribing antipsychotics to this population, clinicians should consider adverse events and the discontinuation rate in treated patients. However, the current evidence shows a lack of consensus regarding the use of antipsychotics in children and adolescents.

J Nippon Med Sch 2021; 88: 10-16

Keywords
antipsychotics, children, adolescents, effectiveness, tolerability

Correspondence to
Katsunaka Mikami, Department of Psychiatry, Tokai University School of Medicine, 143 Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1143, Japan
mikami@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp

Received, March 29, 2020
Accepted, September 11, 2020