Naltrexone attenuates self-injurious behavior in mentally retarded subjects

Biol Psychiatry. 1990 Apr 1;27(7):741-6. doi: 10.1016/0006-3223(90)90589-t.

Abstract

The effect of naltrexone on the frequency of self-injurious behavior (SIB) was investigated in 6 male subjects with profound mental retardation. Following a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover design, naltrexone was administered in a dose of 50 mg once daily for 3 consecutive weeks. In 2 of 5 subjects, a significant decrease of SIB frequency could be demonstrated, and in 1, a tendency to a reduction was found. No effect on duration of restrain time was found in 3 subjects. These data suggest that disturbances of the endogenous opioid systems may be involved in the pathophysiology of SIB of certain patients.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Controlled Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Down Syndrome / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Institutionalization
  • Intellectual Disability / drug therapy*
  • Intellectual Disability / psychology
  • Male
  • Naltrexone / therapeutic use*
  • Receptors, Opioid / drug effects
  • Self Mutilation / drug therapy*
  • Self Mutilation / psychology

Substances

  • Receptors, Opioid
  • Naltrexone