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Clinical Trial
. 1990 Jun;20(2):169-76.
doi: 10.1007/BF02284716.

A case report of naltrexone treatment of self-injury and social withdrawal in autism

A S Walters  1 , R P Barrett, C Feinstein, A Mercurio, W T Hole
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

A case report of naltrexone treatment of self-injury and social withdrawal in autism

A S Walters et al. J Autism Dev Disord. 1990 Jun.

Abstract

The endogenous opiate release theory of self-injurious behavior (SIB) was investigated through double-blind placebo-controlled administration of naltrexone hydrochloride (Trexan) to a 14-year-old autistic and mentally retarded male for treatment of severe SIB. Results yielded a marked decrease in SIB during two phases of active drug treatment, though SIB did not revert to originally observed placebo levels during a second placebo phase. An increase in social relatedness also was observed during phases of active drug treatment. Opiate theories of self-injury and the possible interrelationship of self-injury with pituitary-adrenal arousal and with social relatedness are discussed.

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