The effect of buspirone on challenging behaviour in mentally retarded patients: an open prospective multiple-case study.

Doctors gave eight adults with intellectual disability the anti-anxiety pill buspirone every day. The dose ranged from 20 to 50 mg.

They watched the adults for weeks and wrote down how often the adults hit, bit themselves, or yelled.

All eight people had fewer outbursts. They also talked more and seemed calmer.

The pill helped with aggression, self-injury, and impulsive acts.

Rose et al. (2000) reviewed similar serotonergic drugs like clomipramine and fluvoxamine. These drugs also cut repetitive and aggressive acts in autism. The review adds weight to the idea that tweaking serotonin can help.

Guinchat et al. (2015) worked with teens in crisis. They found that fixing hidden medical pain or other psychiatric diagnoses cut behavior problems faster than drugs alone. Their work shows buspirone might work best after you rule out pain or illness.

Castells et al. (1979) tried a different serotonergic agent, 5-HTP, on one boy with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. The boy stopped biting himself for a while, but the benefit faded. This warns us that gains from serotonergic drugs may not last without extra support.

If you support adults with ID and severe challenging behavior, buspirone is worth discussing with the medical team. Start only after you screen for constipation, tooth pain, or other hidden medical issues. Pair the pill with behavior plans and track data weekly so you can spot if the effect fades.