This case series examines impulsive and compulsive traits in four disorders, suggesting glutamatergic treatments may be beneficial.
Compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD), trichotillomania (TTM), binge eating disorder (BED), and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) are classified in separate categories in the International Classification of Diseases, 11 th Revision (ICD-11). This case series aims to explore these disorders’ overlapping impulsive and compulsive features despite their shared phenomenology and comorbidity. It also discusses the insight, reward mechanisms, and associated neurobiological understanding of repetitive behaviors. In the end, it also highlights the potential role of glutamatergic medications in their treatment. Further research is warranted to explore the glutamatergic system’s involvement and assess the efficacy of glutamate modulators across the impulsive-compulsive spectrum.
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Laha et al. (2025) studied this question.
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