Opioid antagonist effects on self-injury in adults with mental retardation: response form and location as determinants of medication effects.
The opioid antagonist naltrexone was administered to 8 adults with severe or profound mental retardation and extensive histories of self-injurious behavior. Five-minute behavioral samples were observed randomly out of every hour from 8 a.m. through 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, for four 2-week phases (baseline, placebo, 50 mg, and 100 mg). During naltrexone administration, there were fewer days with frequent head-banging and self-biting, whereas there were more days on which blows to the head or self-biting were infrequent. Self-injurious participants slept 1.38 hours less per night during baseline, which was unaffected by naltrexone.
Thompson
T
T
John F. Kennedy Center, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203.
Hackenberg
T
T
Cerutti
D
D
Baker
D
D
Axtell
S
S
D000328:Adult; D003000:Clonidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D012931:Social Environment
D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D009271:Naltrexone; D003000:Clonidine