Compulsive and Impulsive Aspects of Self-Injurious Behavior (PDF)
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121 COMPULSIVE AND IMPULSIVE ASPECTS OF SELF-INJURIOUS BEHAVIOR DAN J. STEIN JOSEPH ZOHAR DAPHNE SIMEON Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is seen in a range of different disordered patients, can plausibly be described as ‘‘impul- psychiatric disorders, including stereotypic movement dis- sive’’ in nature. This phenomenologic distinction between order, Tourette’s disorder, borderline personality disorder, ‘‘compulsive’’ and ‘‘impulsive’’ is intended only to be heu- and psychotic disorders. An immediate question is to what ristic; clinically, there may be significant overlap, with the extent similar psychobiological mechanisms mediate SIB impulsive wrist-cutter, for example, going on to develop across so diverse a spectrum of conditions. It has been ar- apparently compulsive repetitive SIB. gued that specific neurobiological mechanisms may be re- This chapter briefly reviews work from animal studies of sponsible for various symptoms across diagnostic categories; SIB, including animal stereotypies and veterinary behavioral could the same hold true for self-injurious behaviors? disorders, before going on to consider the neuropsychophar- Acloser exploration of the phenomenology of SIB sug- macology of a range of clinical disorders characterized by gests that there are a number of distinct types of self-mutila- SIB. These include SMD in developmentally disabled pa- tion (1). ‘‘Compulsive’’ self-injurious behavior is arguably tients, specific syndromes characterized by stereotypic SIB, exemplified by the stereotypic self-injurious behavior of ster- SMD in intellectually normal patients (e.g., skin picking, eotypic movement disorder (SMD). By definition, such be- nail biting, etc.), Tourette’s disorder, autistic disorder, tri- havior is composed of repetitive, seemingly driven, but non- chotillomania, and impulsive SIB in predominantly person- functional motor behavior. Stereotypical SIB is also seen ality-disordered patients. Throughout the chapter we follow in a range of specific syndromes, including Lesch-Nyhan a schema of reviewing phenomenology, neurochemistry, syndrome, Cornelia de Lange syndrome, and Prader-Willi and neuroanatomy in turn. syndrome. Although SMD is commonly encountered in patients with developmental disabilities, there is also evi- dence of it in intellectually normal adult samples (2), in the ANIMAL STEREOTYPIES form of behaviors such as skin picking and nail biting. Phenomenology The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disor- ders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) specifically excludes from Stereotypy may be defined as the excessive production of the diagnosis of SMD the repetitive self-injurious symptoms one type of motor act (3). Stereotypic behavior is species of a range of other disorders such as pervasive developmental specific, with common behaviors including grooming, disorder, Tourette’s disorder, and trichotillomania. Some gnawing, and pacing. Asubset of these stereotypies are self- of these behaviors arguably have an ‘‘impulsive’’ component injurious; these include excessive grooming and self-biting. in that they are preceded by increasing tension, and followed Animal stereotypies can be induced by confinement (e.g., by pleasure, gratification, or relief. Similarly, certain self- to a small enclosure) and by deprivation (e.g., being reared injurious behaviors, perhaps predominantly in personality- alone). Deprivation stereotypies are more likely to result in SIB (4), particularly in higher mammals (3). Dan J. Stein: University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa and Neurochemistry University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. Joseph Zohar: Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv, Israel. Animal research on stereotypic self-injurious behavior has Daphne Simeon: Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York. highlighted the role of the dopaminergic, serotoninergic, 1744 Neuropsychopharmacology: The Fifth Generation of Progress and opioid systems. These systems also have important in- quences. This view is consistent with a view of striatal func- teractions with one another. Nevertheless, for the sake of tion that emphasizes the development, maintenance, and simplicity, we list studies on each system in turn. selection of motoric and cognitive procedural strategies. Early work with rodents demonstrated that ampheta- Different terms given to allude to this group of functions mines act to produce an increase in stereotypic behavior have included habit system, response set, and procedural (5), including automutilation (6), and such findings have mobilization (19). been replicated with different dopamine agonists in differ- ent species. These responses are prevented by 6-hydroxy- dopamine–induced lesions or by dopamine antagonists (7, VETERINARY BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS 8), perhaps particularly by D1 antagonists (9,10). Further- Phenomenology more, early destruction of dopaminergic neurons may lead to hypersensitivity of D1 receptors, with increased self-bit- In addition to animal laboratory studies, there is an interest- ing behavior in response to later administration of dopa- ing literature on veterinary behavioral disorders character- mine agonists (11). ized by SIB (20). Acral lick dermatitis, for example, is a Traditional serotonin models include the administration condition characterized by excessive paw licking and of a monoamine oxidase inhibitor with L-tryptophan to in- scratching in dogs. This results in the characteristic derma- duce a hyperactivity syndrome in rats, and the use of 5- titis; in severe cases sequelae include osteomyelitis. The dis- hydroxytryptophan to induce the head-twitch syndrome in order is seen in certain breeds of large dog, and within breeds mice and the wet dog shake in rats. Reviewing this literature, may be more common in particular families. Jacobs and Fornal (12) conclude that serotonin facilitates Different species may manifest a range of different kinds gross motor output and inhibits sensory information pro- of SIB (20). Psychogenic alopecia is found in cats, with cessing. Certainly, isolation may be associated with de- excessive depilation leading to bare patches. Feather-picking creased serotonin turnover (13). Furthermore, in confining in birds is seen in a range of avian species, and can be or depriving environments, the animal may activate dorsal complicated by severe hemorrhage. Although stereotypies raphe neurons by performance of stereotypies (12). may appear to arise spontaneously in companion and do- In animal work, opioid agonists may induce autoaggres- mestic animals, as in laboratory animals, confinement and sion, and opioid antagonists may be particularly effective deprivation are robust elicitors of stereotypic and self-inju- in reducing self-injurious stereotypies in younger animals rious behavior. (14). Indeed, it has been suggested that excessive opioid activity is responsible for SIB (15). However, an alternative Neurochemistry hypothesis emphasizes that pain associated with SIB results in the release of brain endorphins and draws a parallel be- The pharmacotherapeutic profile of acral lick dermatitis tween such endogenous release of endorphins and addiction overlaps remarkably neatly with that of obsessive-compul- to an exogenous substance (16). sive disorder (OCD) (21). Thus, the disorder responds to From an integrated brain-mind perspective, interactions selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), but fails to and overlaps between environmental and pharmacologic in- respond to desipramine or fenfluramine. However, the dis- ducers of stereotypy would be predicted. Indeed, compared order may also respond to opioid agents. Although not well to normally reared rodents, isolation-reared subjects show studied pharmacologically, there are a number of reports increased stereotypic responses after administration of am- indicating that psychogenic alopecia responds to treatment phetamine (17) or tail-pinch (18). with SSRIs. In addition, administration of a dopamine blocker has been noted to lead to a decrease in symptoms. Neuroanatomy Similarly, feather-picking in birds and SIB in horses may respond to treatment with SSRIs (20). There is evidence that corticostriatal circuits are important We noted earlier the cross-sensitization between pharma- in mediating stereotypic behavior (3). First, infusion of the cologic and environmental inducers of stereotypies (22). dopamine into the caudate results in stereotyped orofacial Conversely, it can be emphasized that environmentally in- behaviors (grooming, gnawing). Conversely, infusion of do- duced SIB may respond to psychopharmacologic interven- pamine blockers into the same areas reduces amphetamine- tion. For example, in a placebo-controlled study of fluoxe- induced stereotypy. Second, frontal lesions and dopamine tine in isolation-reared primates, this SSRI was effective in agonists produce similar behavioral and cognitive effects, reducing such symptoms (23). and frontal lesions exacerbate the effects of these agents. Furthermore, striatal lesions may also lead to stereotypic Neuroanatomy behavior. Reviewing this literature and his own work, Ridley (3) concludes that loss of inhibition induced by frontal le- In the previous section, the possible involvement of fronto- sions results in a release of previously stored response se- striatal circuits in animal stereotypic behavior was noted. Chapter 121: Compulsive and Impulsive Aspects of Self-Injurious Behavior 1745 With regard to stereotypic SIB in higher mammals, a partic- disability and symptoms in patients with OCD (28). Fur- ularly interesting finding