Neurobehavioral Mechanisms of Kleptomania

Kleptomania, which is currently categorized as impulse control disorder in the diagnostic manuals, is a psychiatric condition characterized by impulsive and compulsive stealing. Because of its nature of symptoms directly relating to criminal acts, the disorder could be a serious social problem. Its prevalence is also estimated at around 0.5% of the general population, which is comparable to other psychiatric disorders, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Nevertheless, kleptomania has barely been a target of research since its original reports two centuries ago, and its pathogenesis and pathophysiology have almost entirely remained unknown. This chapter provides a narrative review of kleptomania, first briefly describing the historical backgrounds and current definition/diagnostic criteria, followed by discussion of the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of the disorder, especially in understanding of kleptomania as an addictive disorder, along with summarizing research, including recent neurobehavioral investigations.