TY - JOUR
T1 - The opiate antagonist, naltrexone, in the treatment of trichotillomania
T2 - Results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled study
AU - Grant, Jon E
AU - Odlaug, Brian Lawrence
AU - Schreiber, Liana R N
AU - Kim, Suck Won
PY - 2014/2
Y1 - 2014/2
N2 - Trichotillomania (TTM) is characterized by repetitive hair pulling resulting in hair loss. Data on the pharmacological treatment of TTM are limited. This study examined the opioid antagonist, naltrexone, in adults with TTM who had urges to pull their hair. Fifty-one individuals with TTM were randomized to naltrexone or placebo in an 8-week, double-blind trial. Subjects were assessed with measures of TTM severity and selected cognitive tasks. Naltrexone failed to demonstrate significantly greater reductions in hair pulling compared to placebo. Cognitive flexibility, however, significantly improved with naltrexone (P = 0.026). Subjects taking naltrexone with a family history of addiction showed a greater numerical reduction in the urges to pull, although it was not statistically significant. Future studies will have to examine whether pharmacological modulation of the opiate system may provide promise in controlling pulling behavior in a subgroup of individuals with TTM.
AB - Trichotillomania (TTM) is characterized by repetitive hair pulling resulting in hair loss. Data on the pharmacological treatment of TTM are limited. This study examined the opioid antagonist, naltrexone, in adults with TTM who had urges to pull their hair. Fifty-one individuals with TTM were randomized to naltrexone or placebo in an 8-week, double-blind trial. Subjects were assessed with measures of TTM severity and selected cognitive tasks. Naltrexone failed to demonstrate significantly greater reductions in hair pulling compared to placebo. Cognitive flexibility, however, significantly improved with naltrexone (P = 0.026). Subjects taking naltrexone with a family history of addiction showed a greater numerical reduction in the urges to pull, although it was not statistically significant. Future studies will have to examine whether pharmacological modulation of the opiate system may provide promise in controlling pulling behavior in a subgroup of individuals with TTM.
U2 - 10.1097/JCP.0000000000000037
DO - 10.1097/JCP.0000000000000037
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 24145220
VL - 34
SP - 134
EP - 138
JO - Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
JF - Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
SN - 0271-0749
IS - 1
ER -