Pharmacotherapy of trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder): an updated systematic review.
BACKGROUND
Individuals affected by trichotillomania (TTM) (hair-pulling disorder) consciously or non-consciously pull out their own body hair. The disorder has recently been incorporated into a chapter entitled, 'Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders' in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition.


METHODS
The review describes the literature currently available on the pharmacotherapy for TTM, including both randomized controlled trials and open-label trials of pharmacotherapy for TTM in adults or children.


CONCLUSIONS
Early work focused on the serotonin reuptake inhibitors; however, the majority of the trials have been negative. There is a small body of evidence focused on pharmacotherapy for TTM. In future, larger trials are required to expand on the preliminary evidence available for N-acetylcysteine, olanzapine and dronabinol in recent trials.
University of British Columbia, Department of Psychiatry , 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2A1 , Canada.
Rachel
R
Rothbart
Dan J
DJ
Stein
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077152:Olanzapine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014256:Trichotillomania / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000111:Acetylcysteine; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D013759:Dronabinol; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D000077152:Olanzapine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
hair-pulling disorder; pharmacotherapy; treatment; trichotillomania