Naloxone attenuates self-abusive behavior in developmentally disabled clients.
The opiate antagonist naloxone was effective in reducing self-abusive behavior in two mentally retarded clients with an extensive history of such behavior. Three doses of naloxone (0.1, 0.2, 0.4 mg) were compared with a vehicle solution in a double-blind, crossover design. Naloxone greatly attenuated self-abusive episodes in one client and eliminated them entirely in the second client. In addition, use of self-restraining behavior by one client was reduced. The findings suggested that some clients with self-injurious behavior may have disturbances of the endogenous opiate system. Maintenance of self-abuse by tonically elevated pain threshold and/or by the putative addictive characteristics of such behavior was discussed.
D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004723:Endorphins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D009270:Naloxone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds
D004723:Endorphins; D009270:Naloxone