Somatic sexual hallucinations and erotomanic delusions in a mentally handicapped woman.

Taub et al. (1994) wrote up one older woman with intellectual disability. She kept saying a man loved her and felt sexual touches that were not there. The team gave her Pimozide and watched what happened.

This is a single-case report, not a big trial. Still, it shows how the drug acted in real life.

The delusions and the fake sexual feelings stopped after Pimozide started. The woman calmed down and no longer talked about the man or the touches.

The paper says the drug worked for as long as she took it.

Jones et al. (1992) also gave antipsychotic medicine to an adult with ID, but they saw the scary side effect called neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Both papers are single cases, yet one shows help and the other shows harm. The difference is luck and close nursing watch.

Crosbie (1993) and Chaplin (2009) reviews say most people with both ID and mental illness get too little care. Taub et al. (1994) gives a clear example of what can work when a doctor finally sees the person.

Simpson et al. (2001) looked at crime, not psychosis, in adults with ID. Their big point is that each small study is weak alone. Taub et al. (1994) is useful only as a clue, not as proof for everyone.

If you serve adults with ID, remember that odd sexual talk can be psychosis, not just behavior. Ask for a psych consult and think about Pimozide, but watch for side effects. One calm older woman is not a rule, yet she shows the chance of relief when you treat the illness and not only the behavior.