Sex hormones, neurotransmitters, and psychopharmacological treatments in men with paraphilic disorders

Abstract

Paraphilic disorders are psychiatric syndromes primarily characterized by deviant sexual thoughts, cravings, urges, and/or behaviors. Paraphilic men may engage in inappropriate sexual behaviors when cravings for socially unacceptable sexual acts become overpowering. These often chronic disorders may not only cause emotional distress and social embarrassment to the afflicted patient but also to the targets of their paraphilic focus. The primary objective of this article is to examine and review data on the efficacy and tolerability of the testosterone-lowering agents medroxprogesterone acetate, cyproterone acetate, and leuprolide acetate. The secondary goal is to review data on less conventional and more innovative pharmacological treatments, particularly the serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors.