Risperidone is a well-known atypical antipsychotic chemical that works by antagonizing the dopamine and serotonin receptors. It is thought to impact the epigenetic and transcription mechanisms. However, most insights have come from analysis of blood samples or cell studies. The epigenomic changes in the brain may not be clearly understood by this limited analysis.
New work has been done to improve the understanding of the mechanism of action at the epigenomic level. An in vivo study using a marmoset model allowed for direct analysis of the brain and peripheral tissues. To begin, the animals received oral treatment of risperidone for 28 days. After the final day of treatment, the animals were sacrificed, and the tissues collected and analyzed. Blood, brain, and liver samples were obtained.
From each sample, genomic DNA was extracted and used for DNA methylation analysis. Human probe sequences were mapped to the marmoset genome. Mismatched and otherwise useless sequences were filtered out.
The results from this study revealed some similarities in methylation patterns of brain and peripheral tissues. In addition, similarities with human neuroblastoma cells were also noted. Further work should now be done to continue improving the understanding of the in vivo epigenomic actions of risperidone.
Murata Y, Fujii A, Nakachi Y, et al. Comprehensive DNA methylation analysis of brain and peripheral tissues following chronic risperidone treatment in common marmosets. Neurosci Res. 2026 Jan:222:105000. PMID: 41319835.