title: Toward new avenues in the treatment of nonsuicidal self-injury.
abstract: The treatment of self-injury, or self-destruction of one's own body tissue, has become a new focus for both researchers and clinicians. Traditionally, the field of self-injury has distinguished between the behaviors exhibited among individuals with a developmental disability (self-injurious behaviors [SIBs]) and those present within a normative population (nonsuicidal self-injury [NSSI]). Despite this distinction, many pharmacotherapies for self-injury have been administered for both populations. The current review begins by summarizing the available efficacy studies investigating common pharmacological interventions in the treatment of self-injury. These studies are organized based on the most empirically supported neurochemical pathways in the development or maintenance of NSSI: endogenous opiods and monoamines. Although significant advances have been made in the field, conclusions based on efficacy studies of the pharmacological interventions used in the treatment of self-injury have been somewhat inconsistent. Finally, the review includes a discussion about potential avenues in the pharmacological treatment of NSSI via animal models of self-injury. Animal models present a unique opportunity to test neurobiological theories of self-injury using a controlled, systematic approach. Clinical considerations are presented as they relate to the available research findings and best practices in the treatment of self-injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Providence College, Providence, RI 02918, USA. cbloom@providence.edu
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bloom
authors.forename: Shareen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holly
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D023421:Models, Animal; D009420:Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents