THE EFFECT OF CLOZAPINE ON SELF-INJURIOUS-BEHAVIOR

Traditional neuroleptic drugs like thioridazine and haloperidol have n ot proven to be systematically effective with the treatment of self-in jurious behavior (SIE). These drugs may be ineffective because they pr imarily block D2 dopamine receptors. Based on research with humans and other animals it appears that another dopamine receptor, D1, may be r esponsible for mediating some SIE. Clozapine, a neuroleptic recently i ntroduced in the United States, has proven effective in treatment of r efractory cases of schizophrenia and is known to have an affinity for blocking D1 receptors. The drug was used to complete a 93-week double- blind crossover trial with a client displaying chronic SIE. Though clo zapine is known to affect other neurotransmitter systems, the successf ul treatment of the participant is consistent with the D1 hypothesis o f self-injurious behavior and suggests the possibility that clozapine could be an effective pharmacological intervention for some cases of S IB.