title: Disappearance of self-aggressive behavior in a brain-injured patient after deep brain stimulation of the hypothalamus: technical case report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Self-mutilation is a severe symptom of diseases with varying etiologies. It can be observed in the context of mental retardation and after traumatic brain injury. Pharmacological treatment approaches often prove ineffective.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the case of a 22-year-old woman with repetitive self-mutilating behavior in the mouth area after severe traumatic brain injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bilateral deep brain stimulation of the posterior hypothalamus was conducted and resulted in the complete elimination of self-mutilation during a 4-month observation period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This technical case report indicates that deep brain stimulation of the posterior hypothalamus could be a promising approach in the treatment of severe self-mutilating behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. Jens.Kuhn@uk-koeln.de
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lenartz
authors.forename: Jürgen K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huff
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klosterkoetter
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sturm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007034:Hypothalamus, Posterior / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*