Psychopharmacological treatment of self-injurious behavior in individuals with autism.
This paper is part of a special section on 'self-injurious behavior and autism' and reports new data that variously support the suggested involvement of dopaminergic, serotoninergic and opiatergic neurotransmitter systems in the expression of self-injurious behaviour. Further, some notions concerning the underlying biological mechanisms of self-injurious behaviour related to brain function and brain topography are described. Finally, besides the critical evaluation of several drugs used to treat self-injurious behaviour, four cases of autism are reported where sulpiride, a benzamide derivative, clearly reduced self-injurious behaviour.
Rothenberger
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Central Institute of Mental Health, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Mannheim, Germany.
D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000150:complications*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009294:Narcotics / Q000378:metabolism; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000187:drug effects; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013469:Sulpiride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D009294:Narcotics; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D012701:Serotonin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D013469:Sulpiride