Impulse-Control Disorders (Severe Social Behavior Problems, Severe Acting Out)

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You are here : 3-RX.com > Medical Encyclopedia > Diseases and Conditions > Impulse-Control Disorders
Category : Health Centers > Mental Health (Mental Disorders)

Impulse-Control Disorders

Alternate Names : Severe Social Behavior Problems, Severe Acting Out

Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors | Symptoms & Signs | Diagnosis & Tests | Prevention & Expectations | Treatment & Monitoring

Impulse control disorders are characterized by a person's failure to resist an impulse. The person is unable to prevent him or herself from performing an act that will be harmful to self or others.

What is going on in the body?

Some research has supported the idea that impulse control problems are related to functions in specific parts of the brain, or to certain hormones. It is also thought that the symptoms are affected by abnormal transmission of nerve impulses.

What are the causes and risks of the condition?

The causes of impulse control disorders are unknown. However, a person who has had a head injury may be at higher risk for developing this disorder. Someone with temporal lobe epilepsy is also at higher risk for developing an impulse control disorder.

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		Impulse-Control Disorders: Symptoms & Signs

Author: Ann Reyes, Ph.D.
Reviewer: Gail Hendrickson, RN, BS
Date Reviewed: 07/02/01

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