Work

When You Hear Hoofbeats, It May Still Be the Medication: A Case of Aripiprazole‐Induced Hypersexuality Masquerading as Psychiatric Decompensation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Aripiprazole has a known association with impulse-control disorders (ICDs), yet these adverse effects are frequently underrecognized and misattributed to psychiatric decompensation, particularly in women. We report a case of a 27-year-old African American woman with schizoaffective disorder who developed marked, new-onset hypersexual behavior temporally associated with aripiprazole. Aripiprazole accounts for a majority of ICDs reported among this class of antipsychotics, likely due to its D2/D3 partial agonism. This case highlights the critical need for clinicians to maintain a high index of suspicion for medication-induced ICDs when patients develop new impulsive or compulsive behaviors.

Source: Case Reports in Psychiatry

DOI: 10.1155/crps/2595434

Authors: Nana Cudjoe, Terrance C. Jenkins, Brittany Stallworth, Cansery Kathomi Mwai, Alainia Morgan

Institutions: Morehouse School of Medicine, Grady Memorial Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Schizophrenia research and treatment

Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $790