Improvement of hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) with oral risperidone: case report
N. Subramanian, M. Doran
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine March 1, 2014 DOI: 10.1017/ipm.2013.59 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A 38-year-old woman with hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) following a single LSD use |
| Intervention | Risperidone |
| Duration | Nearly 17 years of HPPD symptoms; response to risperidone within a few weeks of starting it |
| Key findings | The authors report that a 38-year-old woman's HPPD symptoms, which began after a single LSD use and persisted for nearly 17 years without further LSD use, responded well to risperidone within a few weeks. They suggest this case indicates risperidone may be effective for HPPD in some patients, despite other case reports of symptom worsening with risperidone and no established definitive medication for HPPD. |
Abstract
We describe a 38-year-old woman who developed symptoms of hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) after using lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) once and continued to have symptoms of HPPD for nearly 17 years, although she did not use LSD after her first use. The symptoms of HPPD were temporally related to her first LSD use and she responded well to risperidone within a few weeks of commencing on the same. Although different medications have been tried in the management of HPPD including risperidone, olanzapine, clonidine, fluoxetine, sertraline, benzodiazepines and anti-epileptic medications, none have been proven to be the definitive medication of choice in the treatment of HPPD. Furthermore, there have been case reports suggesting worsening of symptoms with risperidone; however, the response to risperidone in our patient suggests the possibility of its effectiveness in the management of HPPD symptoms in some patients.
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- The “Endless Trip” among the NPS Users: Psychopathology and Psychopharmacology in the Hallucinogen-Persisting Perception Disorder. A Systematic Review Frontiers in Psychiatry November 20, 2017
- Hallucinogenic Persisting Perception Disorder: A Case Series and Review of the Literature Frontiers in Neurology May 6, 2022
- Hallucinogen persisting perceptual disorder: a scoping review covering frequency, risk factors, prevention, and treatment Expert Opinion on Drug Safety April 15, 2022
- Pharmacological Treatment of Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD): A Systematic Review. Harvard Review of Psychiatry September 9, 2025
- Flashbacks, Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD), and Reactivations Following the Use of Classic Psychedelics: Classification and Therapeutic Management. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences 2026
and 1 more in the library
Cites 5
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