Cariprazine in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability Disorder

Abstract

This is the first clinical report of the use of Cariprazine, a second generation orally administered atypical antipsychotic compound, in patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Intellectual Disability (ID). Risperidone and Aripiprazole have been studied in autistic patients and are FDA approved for the treatment of irritability associated with autism, but studies of newer agents are limited. We studied eight patients diagnosed with ASD and/or ID from our developmental disability clinic, some of whom have concomitant severe behavioral issues characterized by aggression, impulsivity, and self-injurious behavior. One case was co-morbid with cerebral palsy and three cases were co-morbid with seizure disorder or epilepsy. Cases were retrospectively chart ¬reviewed for Clinical Global Impression Severity Scale (CGI-S) before initiating Cariprazine and Clinical Global Impression Improvement Scale (CGI-I) and Clinical Global Impression Efficacy Scale (CGI-E) after initiating Cariprazine. Overall, 87.5% of patients treated with Cariprazine showed improvement in clinical functioning. Cariprazine may function as an alternative compound for improvement in impulsivity, aggression, and self-injurious behavior in the treatment of patients diagnosed with ASD or ID who have failed currently approved compounds. This retrospective chart review indicates the potential need for more controlled studies to evaluate Cariprazine in these diagnostic groups.