Aripiprazole and Precocious Puberty

Definition and Causes

• The American Academy of Pediatrics defines precocious puberty as the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics before the age of 8 in girls or 9 in boys 1.
• The causes of central precocious puberty include central nervous system pathology, exposure to exogenous sex steroids, or familial constitutional variants 1, 2.

Diagnostic Evaluation

• The investigation of precocious puberty requires measurement of gonadotropins (FSH, LH) and estradiol to determine if it is central (gonadotropin-dependent) or peripheral 2.
• Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain is indicated, especially in girls under 6 years, to identify intracranial pathology 1, 2.

Treatment and Monitoring

• The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry recommends that aripiprazole has proven efficacy in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Tourette's syndrome, and irritability associated with autism in children and adolescents 3.