Efficacy of Clozapine for Psychosis and Intellectual Disabilities

People with Intellectual Disabilities are a highly vulnerable group, with a shorter life expectancy and greater comorbidity of mental illnesses. Despite the high prevalence of mental illness in this group, to date, the number of studies conducted on them is very low. 

Clozapine is the most effective antipsychotic for patients with non-affective psychosis who do not respond to other antipsychotic treatments. Clozapine is underutilized in clinical practice due to a number of difficulties in its effects and clinical management. Currently the use of Clozapine in people with intellectual disabilities and resistant psychosis is based on the extrapolation of evidence from the general population. 

The Carlos III Health Institute is funding a randomized, controlled clinical trial in this population group to evaluate the efficacy of Clozapine compared to standard clinical practice treatment in patients with intellectual disability associated with a psychotic disorder.