Compulsive masturbation in infantile autism treated by mirtazapine

Pediatric Neurology
Giorgio AlbertiniPaolo Onorati

Abstract

This case report describes a child with a severe autistic syndrome worsened by hypersexual behavior consisting of compulsive masturbatory activity. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been reported to be beneficial in reducing hypersexual behaviors. A treatment with mirtazapine improved the entire clinical autistic picture with the disappearance of masturbation. This result suggests that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors could be useful and promising tools in the treatment of hypersexual behaviors in children with autistic disorders. Moreover, the general, and in some ways unexpected, improvement of the social interaction, communication, and imagination, the dramatic reduction of aloof mannerisms, stereotypes, aggressiveness, and inappropriate emotional response to frustrations, as well as the first appearance of the pragmatic use of language and a strong impetus to emotional development disclosed a new spectrum of possible applications of these drugs, and mirtazapine in particular, suggesting the need for new and more extensive studies on the pharmacotherapy of autism.

References

Mar 1, 1980·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·E SchoplerK Daly
May 29, 1999·Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing : Official Publication of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, Inc·L Scahill, K Koenig
Aug 15, 2001·Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry·M Nguyen, T Murphy
Oct 20, 2001·Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology·D J PoseyC J McDougle

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Apr 29, 2008·Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology·Murat Coskun, Nahit Motavalli Mukaddes
Apr 15, 2009·Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology·Murat CoskunNahit Motavalli Mukaddes
Aug 10, 2007·Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy·Scott M Myers
May 4, 2012·Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy·Carolyn A Doyle, Christopher J McDougle
Dec 5, 2008·Journal of Child Health Care : for Professionals Working with Children in the Hospital and Community·Athena Stefanatou
Apr 10, 2018·Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology·Çağla Çelikkol, Ayhan Bilgiç
Jan 3, 2019·American Journal of Therapeutics·Ahmed NaguySara R AlShalabi
Mar 13, 2014·Harvard Review of Psychiatry·Laura C PolitteChristopher J McDougle
Jun 27, 2014·The Annals of Pharmacotherapy· Deepmala, Mayank Agrawal

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Autism

Autism spectrum disorder is associated with challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, and often accompanied by sensory sensitivities and medical issues. Here is the latest research on autism.

Related Papers

Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
M Nguyen, T Murphy
Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
Murat Coskun, Nahit Motavalli Mukaddes
Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
G M RealmutoB D Garfinkel
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved