Some studies in an institution for the mentally retarded.

Patient characteristics and psychotropic drug use in a hospital for the mentally retarded were studied. The majority of patients appeared permanent, 80 percent having been there five years. Ages ranged from 2 to 71 years. Most were mildly or moderately retarded. Fifty-five percent had been originally domiciled within two hours driving time of the hospital. Visiting was proportional to time in hospital, degree of retardation and distance of domicile from hospital. Forty percent of patients were on some kind of psychotropic medication for behavioural control, the majority of these receiving two or more antipsychotic drugs in moderate dosage (phenothiazines or butyrophenones). Despite their long acting nature, drugs were given several times a day. Average time on present medication was about one year. A subgroup of patients was taken off medication and observed by staff. Almost all deteriorated behaviourally but the study was not double blind so these findings must be treated with caution.