A retrospective review of the effectiveness of aripiprazole in the treatment of sensory abnormalities in autism.

Although sensory deficits are frequently observed in autistic individuals, pharmacologic interventions targeting these abnormalities are lacking. The goal of this investigation was to assess the effectiveness of aripiprazole in targeting sensory deficits in children and adolescents with autism. Using an outpatient clinic registry for pervasive developmental disorder, 13 individuals who had received aripiprazole for treating disruptive behaviors and had completed behavioral rating scales (aberrant behavior checklist [ABC] and sensory profile questionnaire [SPQ]) were identified. Mean treatment duration was 24.4 weeks with a mean final aripiprazole dosage of 10.8 mg. Aripiprazole yielded improvements in the total ABC and in several items of the SPQ including registration, inattention/distractibility, auditory processing, and modulation of visual input affecting emotional responses and activity level, suggesting that aripiprazole might be beneficial in targeting sensory abnormalities in autism.