Aripiprazole Used to Treat Capgras Syndrome in an Adolescent Diagnosed With Autism.

This report describes a rare condition called Capgras syndrome in a teenager with autism. Capgras syndrome makes people believe their family members have been replaced by identical strangers. This had never been reported in someone with autism before. The teenager was treated successfully with a medication called aripiprazole, though higher doses were needed than usual. The treatment worked well without serious side effects.

This case report describes the first documented occurrence of Capgras syndrome in an adolescent with autism. Capgras syndrome is a rare delusional disorder where patients believe familiar people have been replaced by imposters. While typically associated with schizophrenia, mood disorders, or neurological conditions, this case represents a novel presentation in autism. The patient was successfully treated with aripiprazole, an atypical antipsychotic, requiring relatively high doses but achieving good response without significant adverse effects.

The authors conducted a literature review and found no previous reports of Capgras syndrome occurring in individuals with autism, making this a unique clinical presentation requiring specialized treatment considerations.

Clinicians should be aware that Capgras syndrome can occur in autism, representing a new comorbidity pattern. Aripiprazole may be effective for treating psychotic symptoms in autistic individuals, though dosing adjustments may be necessary. This case highlights the need for specialized psychiatric assessment and treatment protocols for complex presentations in autism.

Single case report with no control group or comparison data. No long-term follow-up information provided. Cannot establish causality or generalizability to other individuals with autism. Limited sample size prevents assessment of treatment effectiveness across broader population.

This report discusses the emergence, clinical appearance, and treatment of the rare entity Capgras syndrome (CS) in an adolescent diagnosed with autism. After a brief introduction to the CS, we conduct a detailed description of the case and review, after a search on the PubMed database, the known pathophysiology, psychiatric disorders associated with the onset of this syndrome, and the management of CS. Capgras syndrome generally emerges during the course of delusional disorder, schizophrenia, or mood disorders, and for reasons such as neurological, infectious, or endocrinological diseases, drug intoxications, or deprivation. We encountered no previous reports of CS developing during the course of autism.

There are no prospective studies concerning the treatment of the syndrome. However, antipsychotic drug use is primarily recommended in treatment. Antipsychotic drug therapy was therefore planned for the treatment of delusion, a psychotic symptom, in this case. The atypical antipsychotic aripiprazole was used based on the presence of accompanying diagnosis of autism, and the patient's body mass index and age.

A relatively high dose of aripiprazole was required for the first psychotic attack in our patient. However, a good level of response was achieved within the expected time frame. In addition, no marked adverse effects were observed. Aripiprazole seems to be an effective and well-tolerated antipsychotic drug in the treatment of CS accompanying autism.