Haloperidol

Research summary

Human research on haloperidol in healthy volunteers comes largely from small mechanistic trials examining its effects on cognition, motor performance, and physiological parameters. These studies consistently show that acute haloperidol administration can impair aspects of executive function, slow reaction time, and alter motor control, reflecting central dopamine blockade. In critical care trials, haloperidol has been extensively studied for prevention or treatment of delirium, but these studies involve acutely ill patients, not healthy populations. Large randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses in critically ill adults show that haloperidol prophylaxis does not improve survival, delirium-free days, or length of hospital stay compared with placebo, though it also does not dramatically increase serious adverse events at commonly used doses. Overall, there is no evidence to support any health benefit of haloperidol in healthy individuals, and its use outside specific medical indications is inappropriate and potentially harmful.