Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Self-injurious behavior: pathophysiology and implications for treatment

R W Pies¹, A P Popli

¹Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, USA.

The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry

|December 1, 1995

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Must we now consider SRIs neuroleptics?

Journal of clinical psychopharmacology·1997

Same author

The diagnosis and treatment of subclinical hypothyroid states in depressed patients.

General hospital psychiatry·1997

Same author

Risperidone for the treatment of psychosis associated with neurosarcoidosis.

Journal of clinical psychopharmacology·1997

Same author

Clozapine and associated diabetes mellitus.

The Journal of clinical psychiatry·1997

Same author

Sertraline and psychotic symptoms: a case series.

Annals of clinical psychiatry : official journal of the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists·1997

Same author

Transfer of psychiatric inpatients to a general hospital due to adverse drug reactions.

Psychosomatics·1997

Same journal

Major Depressive Disorder and PTSD Treatment Outcome in Interpersonal Psychotherapy and Prolonged Exposure.

The Journal of clinical psychiatry·2026

Same journal

Psychiatrists and Medical Aid in Dying: Entering Uncharted Waters.

The Journal of clinical psychiatry·2026

Same journal

Mind and Metabolism in Crisis: US Mortality Involving Obesity and Psychiatric Disorders-Trends, Disparities, and ARIMA Projections.

The Journal of clinical psychiatry·2026

Same journal

Generative AI for the Clinical Psychopharmacologist: Is It Ready for Prime Time?

The Journal of clinical psychiatry·2026

Same journal

Posttrauma Benzodiazepine Use and Subsequent PTSD: A Population-Wide Analysis Following Extreme Traumatic Exposure.

The Journal of clinical psychiatry·2026

Same journal

The Challenges of PTSD Prevention: Placing Benzodiazepine Use in Context.

The Journal of clinical psychiatry·2026

See all related articles

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) treatment is complex, with no single best drug. Medications targeting the serotonergic system show promise for specific patient subgroups and symptoms, guiding rational pharmacotherapy selection.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychiatry
Pharmacology

Background:

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) presents a significant clinical challenge across diverse patient groups.
The pathophysiology and pharmacologic treatments for SIB remain largely underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the clinical literature on SIB and related behaviors.
To develop provisional guidelines for the pharmacotherapy of SIB.

Main Methods:

Selective literature review of SIB and associated aggressive/impulsive behaviors.
Analysis of existing research to inform treatment strategies.

Main Results:

The serotonergic system is critically involved in the pathophysiology of SIB.

Related Experiment Videos

Pharmacotherapy selection for SIB can be rationalized by identifying patient subgroups and associated symptoms like psychosis.

Serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors, other serotonergic agents, antipsychotics, beta-blockers, and opiate antagonists are relevant treatment options.

Conclusions:

SIB is heterogeneous, necessitating individualized pharmacologic treatment based on symptoms and patient populations.
Agents modulating the serotonergic system offer the most promising therapeutic avenue for SIB.