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Naloxone attenuates self-abusive behavior in developmentally disabled clients
Applied Research in Mental Retardation
|January 1, 1983
Summary
Naltrexone, an opiate antagonist, significantly reduced self-abusive behavior in two clients with intellectual disabilities. This suggests potential endogenous opiate system involvement in self-injurious actions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Self-abusive behavior (SAB) is a challenging issue in individuals with intellectual disabilities.
- The role of the endogenous opiate system in SAB is not fully understood.
Observation:
- Two clients with a history of severe SAB participated in a double-blind, crossover study.
- The effects of naloxone (0.1, 0.2, 0.4 mg) and a vehicle solution were compared.
Findings:
- Naloxone demonstrated significant efficacy in reducing SAB episodes in both clients.
- Complete elimination of self-abuse was observed in one client.
- Self-restraining behaviors were also reduced by naloxone administration.
Implications:
- Findings suggest a potential dysfunction in the endogenous opiate system in some individuals with SAB.
- This may indicate that SAB is maintained by elevated pain thresholds or addictive characteristics.
- Naloxone presents a potential therapeutic avenue for specific cases of self-injurious behavior.