CLINICAL EFFECTS OF BUSPIRONE ON INTRACTABLE SELF-INJURY IN ADULTS WITH MENTAL-RETARDATION

Objective: The efficacy of buspirone in controlling self-injurious beh avior was examined in five individuals with mental retardation. Buspir one was used alone in two individuals and as an adjunct to thioridazin e in the other three. Method: Standard behavioral observation methods were used to collect data on the number of self-injurious responses of the individuals during baseline and several doses of buspirone in an open trial. Results: When compared with baseline levels, all five indi viduals showed some response to buspirone, with reductions in self-inj ury ranging from 13% to 72%, depending on the dose. The most effective dose of buspirone was 30 mg/day for three individuals and 52.5 mg/day for the other two. These individuals were maintained for 6 to 33 week s on their most effective dose. Coexistent symptoms of anxiety did not predict a favorable response to buspirone therapy. Conclusions: Buspi rone showed a mixed but generally favorable response in controlling in tractable self-injury in this and four previous studies reporting simi lar cases. However, the drug should not be endorsed as a proved treatm ent for self-injury until similar results have been obtained from well -controlled studies of its efficacy.