Over the last decade or so, a number of articles have been published concerning the link between the use of the atypical antipsychotic drug Risperdal (risperidone) and elevated prolactin levels, ensuing gynecomastia.  (Prolactin is the hormone responsible for breast development and milk production.)

Here, we will discuss one such article, published in a 1999

In 2003, the results of a small study titled “Risperidone-associated hyperprolactinemia: evaluation in twenty psychiatric outpatients.” by S. Brunelleschi were published in Psychopharmacological Research (the official journal of the Italian Pharmacological Society), aiming to elucidate a potential link between use of Risperdal (risperidone) and hyperprolactinemia (elevated prolactin levels).  For clarity, prolactin is the

In 2010, a team of researchers led by N. Yasui-Furukori et al. published the results of a study titled “Gender-specific prolactin response to antipsychotic treatments with risperidone and olanzapine and its relationship to drug concentrations in patients with acutely exacerbated schizophrenia.” in Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry that aimed to determine the

In 2005, a team of Polish researchers published a study titled “Prolactin secretion disturbances in schizophrenic patients treated with 2nd generation antipsychotics–risperidone and olanzapine” in Psychiatria Polska that aimed to further elucidate the connection between the use of second-generation antipsychotics and elevation of prolactin.  Prolactin is a hormone in the body responsible for

A 2006 piece published in Neuroendocrinology Letters by M. Kopecek et al. titled “Low-dose risperidone augmentation of antidepressants or anxiolytics is associated with hyperprolactinemia.” states “Risperidone in antipsychotic doses induces hyperprolactinemia” and aims to “verify whether the same is true for low doses of risperidone (0.5-2 mg per day) added to antidepressants or

In 2005, a team of researchers led by JA Hellings published a report titled “Risperidone-induced prolactin elevation in a prospective study of children, adolescents, and adults with mental retardation and pervasive developmental disorders.” that aimed to determine if Risperdal (risperidone) caused elevated prolactin levels in females more than males.  Elevated prolactin levels (hyperprolactinemia)

A 2001 paper by G. Masi et al. published in Journal of Child and Adolescent Pharmacology begins its abstract as follows: “Although hyperprolactinemia is a common side effect during risperidone treatment in adult patients, no information is available on young children.”

To be clear, hyperprolactinemia is a condition characterized by elevated blood levels of prolactin

A paper published in 2005 by K. Melkersson in Journal of Clinical Psychiatry titled “Differences in prolactin elevation and related symptoms of atypical antipsychotics in schizophrenic patients.” aimed to evaluate the degree to which different atypical antipsychotic drugs elevated blood levels of prolactin (the hormone responsible for breast growth and milk production) in