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Pregabalin-induced sexual disinhibition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2017

R. Murphy ,
D. McGuinness  and
B. Hallahan
R. Murphy
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, College of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland University Hospital Galway, Galway Roscommon Mental Health Services, Galway, Ireland
D. McGuinness
Affiliation:
University Hospital Galway, Galway Roscommon Mental Health Services, Galway, Ireland
B. Hallahan*
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, College of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland University Hospital Galway, Galway Roscommon Mental Health Services, Galway, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr B. Hallahan, Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Clinical Science Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland. (Email: brian.hallahan@nuigalway.ie)
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Abstract

Introduction

Sexual side effects have rarely been reported secondary to treatment with Pregabalin, a structural analogue of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma amino butyric acid (GABA).

Method

We present the case of AB, a 27-year-old single man with a diagnosis of recurrent depressive disorder who was prescribed pregabalin to alleviate the significant anxiety symptoms he was experiencing.

Results

A significant amelioration in anxiety symptoms was attained; however, he developed the adverse effects of acute sexual disinhibition and increased libido. These adverse effects were temporally related to treatment with pregabalin and reduced with dose reduction of this agent.

Conclusions

To date, limited published data are available relating such a reaction to pregabalin. A greater clinical recognition of this association between pregabalin and sexual disinhibition, would allow clinicians to intervene at an earlier stage of this adverse effect and potentially as in this case, management may only require dose reduction rather than treatment discontinuation.

Keywords

Pregabalinrecurrent depressive disordersexual disinhibition
Type
Case Report
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 37 , Issue 1 , March 2020 , pp. 55 - 58
Copyright
© College of Psychiatrists of Ireland 2017

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