Autistic spectrum disorder masked by mental retardation and impulse control disorder

Abstract

Clinical case report

A 48-year-old male, diagnosed with impulsive control disorder, sex addiction disorder and mental retardation was followed-up by different psychiatrists for the last 20 years. He consults because of presenting depressive symptoms and behavioural disturbances related to the death of his mother two years before. The patient reports to experimenting depressed mood, irritability, insomnia and trends to cry. He has lost motivation for his job and hobbies (he used to show interest in topics such as physics, philosophy, maths, and medicine). He has feelings of loneliness, which make him look for social interaction and support through continuous calls to telephone sex lines. This act has made him spend large amounts of cash, thus, making him be in deep debts. He does not feel integrate in society.

Mental status examination

Introvert, limited social skills, coherent language, echolalic, monotone, tangential speech, depressed mood, feelings of guilt and futility, dysphoria, partial anhedonia, ideas of hopelessness, structured death ideation, unconsciousness of his own acts, with trend to impulsiveness and compulsive behaviour and insomnia.

Complementary test

Wais test: no mental retardation found.

Diagnosis

Autistic spectrum disorder (F84.0); major depressive disorder (F32.1); bereavement (V62.82).

Discussion

The patient showed classic diagnostic criteria DSM 5 associated with autistic spectrum disorder (Asperger's disorder in DSM-IV); the permanent inability for social interactions and repetitive, restricted and stereotypic behavioural patterns.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.