Adolescents with emotional dysregulation are at risk for self-injury. Antipsychotics are often used to manage these symptoms.

The aim of the present case is to show the use of cariprazine as an effective drug for emotional dysregulation and impulsivity in a 17-year-old adolescent girl

Case report

The patient was a 17-year-old female admitted to in patient psychiatric unit for a self-harm attempt due to sertraline overdose. She was being followed up for self-injury, anxiety and eating disorder symptoms. Her treatment was sertraline 200 mg, diazepam 20 mg per day and olanzapine 15 mg per day. With this medication she had gained up to 7 kgs in 4 months. A progressive change was made with cariprazine up to 3 mg and olanzapine was reduced to 2.5 mg at night. With this adjustment the patient did not present worsening in anxiety levels, with adequate impulse control and being able to perform emotional regulation strategies.

Although it has no indication in patients under 18 years of age, it shows a case of good tolerance and efficacy for the management of impulsivity by improving emotional regulation. Cariprazine is an atypical antipsychotic that works through partial agonism on dopaminergic receptors, serotonin 5-HT1A receptors and an antagonist at the 5-HT2B receptors, with moderate affinity for adrenergic, histaminergic, and cholinergic receptors reducing the likelihood of side effects

None Declared