Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “SELF MUTILATION”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 847 records · Page 47Linked to original sources

Determinants of increased drug self-administration due to food deprivation.

Changes in oral etonitazene self-administration were compared in four groups of rats that were maintained at 100, 95, 85, or 75% of their pre-experimental free-feeding body weights. Etonitazene (5 micrograms/ml) or water was available for 16 h according to a fixed-ratio (FR) 1 schedule. Each liquid delivery (0.1 ml) was contingent upon a lever-press response. During food deprivation etonitazene intake gradually increased to over two-fold as body weights decreased over 25 sessions; etonitazene intake was inversely proportional to body weight. The 75% weight group showed stereotypy, self-mutilation and large variability in daily etonitazene intake. In another experiment a range of deprivation conditions was studied in a group of six rats with etonitazene (5 micrograms/ml) or water available on an FR 8 schedule during 1-h sessions. When the rats were gradually food satiated, etonitazene-maintained behavior declined but remained higher than water-maintained behavior; however, when they were abruptly food satiated, etonitazene-maintained behavior decreased to low levels.

Animals↗

A practical approach in the treatment of self-inflicted violence.

After a brief review of the literature on self-inflicted violence, a practical approach to the treatment of patients who show self-injurious behavior and self-mutilation is developed. The treatment model uses therapeutic interventions based on a biopsychosocial understanding of the person and applies knowledge from the biological, psychological-behavioral, and social fields. Interventions discussed include ego strengthening, planning for substitute behaviors, therapeutic imagery, ego-state therapy, reframing, cognitive syllogism, behavioral reinforcement and extinction, and use of behavioral contracts. The case examples presented illustrate the importance of the therapist/patient relationship, which is based on trust, respect, and caring but also on patient responsibility for change.

Adult↗

A retrospective study of self-inflicted burns.

A study was conducted of all 51 patients admitted on 64 occasions with self-inflicted burns to the Welsh Regional Burns Unit between January 1979 and January 1991. Two different groups of patients were identified, namely, patients who attempted suicide and patients with self-mutilative behavior. Their differences on a number of variables are described. At follow-up, no patient had subsequently committed suicide, but the majority of suicide attempters remained in contact with psychiatric services. In view of the considerable psychiatric morbidity of this patient group there is a need for consultation-liasion psychiatrists to provide a service to Burn Units.

Adolescent↗

[Optimal medical care for children with Down syndrome and their parents].

Children with Down's syndrome have an increased risk of congenital anomalies and additional medical problems. These can be treated but are often seen as part of the syndrome and not as the cause of developmental retardation. Based on the current level of knowledge, specific medical tests and evaluations are recommended. The reasons for these guidelines, composed by the Down's syndrome Work Group of the Paediatric Association of the Netherlands, are illustrated by the case reports of five patients: in a 4-year-old boy, retardation improved after celiac disease had been diagnosed. In a 5-year-old boy, slow speech development was reversed after hearing loss was diagnosed. In a 2-year-old girl, development improved after a mitral valve stenosis had been corrected. In a 6-month-old boy, drinking problems were reversed when torticollis was diagnosed and a self-deflating drinking bottle was introduced. An adult man suffering from epilepsy and from self-mutilative rubbing and hitting of his eyes, regained his sight after cataract, myopia and atrophy bulbi were diagnosed. A well-balanced disclosure of the diagnosis, repeated medical screening, early motor training and social interventions combined with active parental participation, warrant optimal development. In cooperation with the Down's syndrome Parent Association, multidisciplinary medical teams have been established to offer and promote this care.

Adult↗

Neuroacanthocytosis--the variability of presenting symptoms in two siblings.

Neuroacanthocytosis is a progressive multisystem disease with a wide range of symptoms. The involuntary movements mainly include chorea and orofaciolingual dyskinesias. The descriptive name of the disease refers to the presence of abnormal erythrocytes in peripheral blood. Two siblings are presented. One young female had dystonia, self-mutilating behaviour, lip biting and eating difficulties. Her brother had repeated generalized epileptic seizures several years before developing choreatic movements and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Both had clinical signs of sensorimotor axonal polyneuropathy. Fresh blood smears in each patient contained between 15 and 20% acanthocytes compared to less than 2% in normal controls. Neuroacanthocytosis must be kept in mind in young adult patients without heredity for Huntington's disease and the diagnosis is easily confirmed when making a fresh blood smear.

Acanthocytes↗

Sexual abuse of boys.

TOPIC: Sexual abuse in childhood can disable self-esteem, self-concept, relationships, and ability to trust. It can also leave psychological trauma that compromises a boy's confidence in adults. While some boys who willingly participate may adjust to sexual abuse, many others face complications, such as reduced quality of life, impaired social relationships, less than optimal daily functioning, and self-destructive behavior. These problems can respond to treatment if detected. PURPOSE: In this paper, we examine the prevalence, characteristics, psychological consequences, treatment, and coping patterns of boys who have been sexually abused and their failure to disclose abuse unless asked during a therapeutic encounter. Nurses have a responsibility to detect the clues to sexual abuse, diagnose the psychological consequences, and advocate for protection and treatment. SOURCES USED: Computerized literature search of the Medline and PsychInfo literature and books on sexual abuse of boys. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological responses to abuse such as anxiety, denial, self-hypnosis, dissociation, and self-mutilation are common. Coping strategies may include being the angry avenger, the passive victim, rescuer, daredevil, or conformist. Sexual abuse may precipitate runaway behavior, chronic use of sick days, poor school or job performance, costly medical, emergency and or mental health visits. In worst cases, the boy may decide that life is not worth living and plan suicide. The nurse has a key role to play in screening, assessing, and treating sexual abuse children.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Treatment of patients with severe burn injuries: the impact of schizophrenia.

Four patients treated in one ward of a psychiatric clinic were admitted to our burn unit within 2 months due to severe burn injuries. The patients showed signs of a self-mutilation epidemic. All four patients were female and the mean age was 28 years. The psychiatric diagnosis was schizophrenia in all patients (ICD 10: F20.9). The ignition of flammable liquid was the most common method and the mean burned TBSA was 33%. The mean severity score (ABSI) was 8 and the median hospital stay was 50 days. All patients were characterised by a prolonged hospital stay in comparison to patients without additional psychiatric pathology (median 31 days). This prolonged stay was based on a delayed wound healing, more operations, extended time for mobilisation and difficulties in co-operation. It is possible that in patients with schizophrenia, changes in nutrition, activity, sleep and drug use could influence their immune system profoundly. Anxiety and depression is also associated with the impairment of cellular and humoural immunity. Poor sleep reduces the production of an anabolic endocrine environment and sleep disturbances can interfere with macrophage and lymphocyte functions. Poor appetite leads to malnutrition, which is also capable of producing delayed wound healing. On the other hand, apathy and a general lack of motivation interfere with therapeutic strategies, because poor appetite and weight loss often occurs after neuroleptic withdrawal, which is correlated with clinical decompensation. Moreover, this "self-destructive" behaviour, which is acting on the immune system, might make a patient more susceptible to infection. All these aspects and side effects of schizophrenia combine to make the treatment of burned patients with schizophrenia a very special and difficult task.

Adult↗

A case-controlled study of repetitive thoughts and behavior in adults with autistic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the types of repetitive thoughts and behavior demonstrated by adults with autistic disorder and compare them with those of age- and sex-matched adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder. METHOD: Fifty consecutive patients admitted to the Yale Adult Pervasive Developmental Disorders (Autism) Clinic with a primary diagnosis of autistic disorder (DSM-III-R and DSM-IV) completed the symptom checklist of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. Types of current obsessions and compulsions were evaluated. The comparison group consisted of 50 age- and sex-matched adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (without tics) (DSM-III-R and DSM-IV). RESULTS: Direct discriminant function analysis showed that the patients with autistic disorder could be distinguished from those with obsessive-compulsive disorder on the basis of the types of current repetitive thoughts and behavior that they demonstrated. Compared to the obsessive-compulsive group, the autistic patients were significantly less likely to experience thoughts with aggressive, contamination, sexual, religious, symmetry, and somatic content. Repetitive ordering; hoarding; telling or asking (trend); touching, tapping, or rubbing; and self-damaging or self-mutilating behavior occurred significantly more frequently in the autistic patients, whereas cleaning, checking, and counting behavior was less common in the autistic group than in the patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. In addition, a specific subset of seven obsessive-compulsive variables from the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale symptom checklist was identified that reliably predicted membership in the autistic group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the repetitive thoughts and behavior characteristics of autism differ significantly from the obsessive-compulsive symptoms displayed by patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Future studies are warranted to assess the treatment response and neurobiological underpinnings of repetitive thoughts and behavior in patients with autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Adolescent↗

Six-year follow-up of three treatment programs to personality disorder.

Previous studies of long-term outcome for personality disorder (PD) were either retrospective in design or did not include a control condition. In this paper we report results for three PD cohorts (N = 111) treated in two different specialist psychosocial programs (step-down and long-term inpatient) and in general psychiatric treatment as usual (TAU), which were prospectively followed up for 72-months after intake. The three PD samples were compared on symptom severity, social adjustment, global functioning and other clinical indicators (self-mutilation, parasuicide and readmission rates) at intake, 6, 12, 24, and 72 months. Results indicated that a specialist step-down model showed significantly greater change than a purely inpatient model and TAU in most key dimensions of functioning, a difference maintained at 72-months follow-up. Improvement in the samples was not associated with amount of intercurrent treatment received in the year prior to the follow-up assessment. This study confirms that a step-down program retains significant improvement associated with a specialist psychosocial approach for PD. However, this conclusion should be qualified by design limitations. The samples were not randomly allocated to the three conditions and the naturalistic geographical allocation used in the study created a potential for a number of confounds. Whilst we used extensive statistical controls, the possibility that the differences found between the groups may be due to population differences cannot be discounted.

Adult↗

A review of interventions to reduce the prevalence of parasuicide.

OBJECTIVE: The author reviewed studies of treatments for parasuicide in order to assist health services planners, administrators, and clinicians develop and improve interventions for parasuicide and decrease its prevalence. METHODS: Parasuicide, which is a major risk factor for completed suicide, was defined as any nonfatal self-injury, including suicide attempts and self-mutilation. The literature from 1970 to 2001 was searched using MEDLINE and PsycINFO. Only experimental and quasi-experimental controlled trials of treatment for parasuicidal individuals were selected for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Epidemiological research shows that parasuicide is a prevalent problem afflicting 4 to 5 percent of individuals in the United States. Parasuicide is a significant predictor of completed suicide, which is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States and accounts for 50 percent more deaths than homicide. Although research on treatments for parasuicide is limited, several treatments have received empirical support. Studies of usual care indicate that empirically supported treatments are rarely used and that standard treatments, particularly hospitalization, are very expensive. The author suggests eight practical steps, based on the literature and established health services strategies, for improving services to parasuicidal individuals. These steps are establishing case registries, evaluating the quality of care for parasuicidal persons, evaluating training in empirically supported treatments for parasuicide, ensuring fidelity to treatment models, evaluating treatment outcomes, identifying local programs for evaluation, providing infrastructural supports to treating clinicians, and implementing quality improvement projects.

Crisis Intervention↗

Sexual exploitation of very young Hmong girls.

PURPOSE: Recent increases in Hmong girls referred to a Midwest hospital-based child advocacy center prompted this comparison of abuse experiences for Hmong extra-familial sexual abuse cases versus peers. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of all girls, aged 10 to 14 years, with extra-familial sexual abuse 1998-2003 (n = 226). Fourteen percent of cases were Hmong (n = 32). Demographics, risk behaviors, abuse experiences, physical findings and legal outcomes were compared for Hmong (H) and Other (O) girls using chi-square. Multivariate logistic regressions explored differences in gynecologic findings and sexually transmitted disease (STD) results. RESULTS: Hmong girls were more likely to be runaways (90% H vs. 8% O), truant (97% H vs. 13% O), self-mutilating (38% H vs. 10% O), and suicidal (41% H vs. 21% O). Seventy-seven percent of Hmong reported gang rape, prostitution, or multiple assaults versus 16% Others; most had 5+ perpetrators (69% H vs. 2% O) and 5+ assaults (75% H vs. 24% O, both p < .001). Gynecologic findings were more prevalent among Hmong girls (63% H vs. 21% O). Controlling for penetration, number of partners/assaults, and acuity at examination, Hmong ethnicity predicted gynecologic findings (adjusted odds ration [AOR] = 6.57). Hmong girls were more likely to have a positive chlamydia screen (36% H vs. 4% O, p < .001), but only number of perpetrators was an independent predictor (AOR = 15.09). Most cases were prosecuted, but Hmong had higher prosecution rates (83% H vs. 57% O, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Hmong girl assault experiences were markedly more severe than peers. Health care providers need appropriate knowledge of Hmong culture to conduct forensic examinations. Abused Hmong girls need culturally sensitive, developmentally appropriate after-care that helps connect them back with families and school.

Adolescent↗

Differential nociceptive deficits in patients with borderline personality disorder and self-injurious behavior: laser-evoked potentials, spatial discrimination of noxious stimuli, and pain ratings.

Approximately 70-80% of women meeting criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD) report attenuated pain perception or analgesia during non-suicidal, intentional self-mutilation. The aim of this study was to use laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) and psychophysical methods to differentiate the factors that may underlie this analgesic state. Ten unmedicated female patients with BPD (according to DSM-IV) and 14 healthy female control subjects were investigated using brief radiant heat pulses generated by a thulium laser and five-channel LEP recording. Heat pulses were applied as part of a spatial discrimination task (two levels of difficulty) and during a mental arithmetic task. BPD patients had significantly higher heat pain thresholds (23%) and lower pain ratings (67%) than control subjects. Nevertheless, LEP amplitudes were either normal (N1, P2, P3) or moderately enhanced in BPD patients (N2). LEP latencies and task performance did not differ between patients and control subjects. The P3 amplitudes, the vertex potential (N2-P2), and the N1, which is generated near the secondary somatosensory cortex, were significantly reduced during distraction by mental arithmetic in both groups. In addition, P3 amplitudes reflected task difficulty. This study confirms previous findings of attenuated pain perception in BPD. Normal nociceptive discrimination task performance, normal LEPs, and normal P3 potentials indicate that this attenuation is neither related to a general impairment of the sensory-discriminative component of pain, nor to hyperactive descending inhibition, nor to attention deficits. These findings suggest that hypoalgesia in BPD may primarily be due to altered intracortical processing similar to certain meditative states.

Adult↗

Behavioral disturbances among failure-to-thrive children.

The eating, sleeping, elimination, autoerotic and self-harming behavior of 19 preschool failure-to-thrive children was studied. Their behavior was compared to a group of 19 children growing normally for their chronological age. Information was obtained by repeated home visits by public health nurses. The growth-retarded children had more feeding difficulties as infants, had skimpier, less regular meals, and had poorer response to food when rated on a five-point scale. Their daily caloric intake was lower. There was no substantial differences between groups for sleeping, elimination, autoerotic, and self-harming behaviors when each area was separately analyzed. However, when all the disturbances were summed, there was clear evidence that the failure-to-thrive children had a noticeably greater number of abnormalities than the control group.

Child Behavior Disorders↗

The heterogeneity of anorexia nervosa. Bulimia as a distinct subgroup.

Bulimia is a poor prognostic sign in anorexia nervosa. This raised the question of whether bulimia represented an "end stage" of chronic anorexia nervosa or whether bulimic patients were a distinct subgroup. All subjects seen by us personally from 1970 to 1978 were included in this study provided they met modified criteria of Feighner et al (1972). Of this group, 68 experienced bulimia and 73 did not (restricters). Bulimic patients had a history of weighing more and were more commonly premorbidly obese. Bulimic patients were those who vomited and misused laxatives. The bulimic group displayed a variety of impulsive behaviors, including use of alcohol and street drugs, stealing, suicide attempts, and self-mutilation. With regard to family history, the high frequency of obesity in the mothers of bulimic patients was noteworthy. The two groups share features common to patients with primary anorexia nervosa. However, these results suggest a different group of women are predisposed to have anorexia nervosa develop with bulimia.

Adult↗

Cri du chat syndrome: changing phenotype in older patients.

The cri du chat syndrome or 5p deletion syndrome is a well-delineated clinical entity and has an incidence of 1/50,000 in newborn infants. A de novo deletion is present in 85% of the patients. Ten to 15% are familial cases with more than 90% due to a parental translocation and 5% due to an inversion of chromosome 5. Although the size of the deleted segment varies, the critical segment that is deleted in all patients appears to be 5p15.2. The clinical picture is well known in younger patients and includes the typical high-pitched cry, psychomotor retardation, microcephaly, growth rate failure, and craniofacial abnormalities including round face, hypertelorism, broad nasal bridge, downward slanting palpebral fissures, and micrognathia. With advancing age, the clinical picture becomes less striking. We present seven patients with 5p deletion syndrome, who were between age 16 and 47 years. Comparing their phenotype at several ages, a change of their phenotype was noted. Some of the clinical characteristics became more evident such as long face, macrostomia, and scoliosis. All patients were severely or profoundly mentally retarded except one patient who was mildly mentally retarded. The diagnosis was difficult to make in some of the patients who were first seen at an older age. In some of them, the craniofacial appearance resembled that seen in Angelman syndrome. Most patients had periods of destructive behavior, self mutilation, and aggression. The clinical diagnosis should be confirmed as soon as possible with cytogenetic investigation to provide specific support, prevention, and treatment of complications. Therefore, it is important to perform follow-up studies in young children to determine their outcome after infant-stimulation programs.

Adolescent↗

Successful preimplantation genetic diagnosis for sex Link Lesch--Nyhan Syndrome using specific diagnosis.

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (LN) is a severe X-linked recessive disorder caused by a deficiency of the enzyme hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HRT). Clinical features displayed by affected boys are particularly severe and disturbing and include hyperuricaemia, Characteristic neurological features including self-mutilation, choreothetosis, spasticity and mental retardation. A couple with a boy diagnosed with LN and a history of pregnancy termination was referred to the Hammersmith Hospital. Their affected son was born in 1982 after an uncomplicated pregnancy and vaginal delivery. Eight subsequent pregnancies had been unsuccessful. There were five therapeutic terminations and three spontaneous abortions, one at least directly caused by the sampling procedure during amniocentesis. From 1989 to 1991 two unsuccessful preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) cycles by sexing were performed by DNA amplification. The mutation was characterized and a nested PCR protocol was designed which allowed the efficient amplification of the affected loci followed by the detection of the mutant allele by restriction digestion. Three PGD cycles were performed using this specific diagnostic test before a successful pregnancy was achieved resulting in the birth of a healthy unaffected baby girl.

Embryo Transfer↗

Impaired differentiation of HPRT-deficient dopaminergic neurons: a possible mechanism underlying neuronal dysfunction in Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is a hereditary disorder of purine metabolism causing overproduction of uric acid and neurological problems including spasticity, choreoathetosis, mental retardation, and compulsive self-mutilation. The syndrome is caused by a defect in the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT), which converts guanine and hypoxanthine to the nucleotides GMP and IMP. There is evidence that the neurological problems are due to an adverse effect of the HPRT deficiency on the survival and/or development of dopaminergic neurons, specifically. Here we report that HPRT-deficient PC12 mutants that have a normal or near normal dopamine content (55-97% of that of wild-type cells) fail to undergo neuronal differentiation induced by nerve growth factor (NGF) when the de novo pathway of purine synthesis is partially inhibited. However, nerve growth factor-induced differentiation is near normal under these conditions in PC12 HPRT-deficient mutants containing much lower dopamine levels (<8% of that of wild type cells), indicating a neurotoxic effect of the endogenous dopamine in the mutants. The degree of inhibition of the de novo pathway of purine synthesis was the same in both classes of HPRT-deficient mutants. Expression of BCl-2 in a PC12 mutant that has a normal dopamine content allowed partial NGF-induced differentiation suggesting that the apoptotic pathway might be involved in the failure of differentiation when the de novo pathway of purine synthesis is partially inhibited.

Animals↗

On the functions of lithium: the mood stabilizer.

Lithium, despite its simple structure, has numerous biological effects. It also has a remarkable therapeutic effect in the prophylactic treatment of manic depression, and is finding a role in controlling aggressive and self-mutilating behavior. The special feature of lithium is that it only acts on overactive systems to bring them back to normal, without affecting the stable system. The mechanisms of action of this simple cation are still largely unknown although the inositol depletion theory is the most widely accepted model. A recent paper described a different molecular mechanism for its effect on development, which may also explain its action in manic depression.

Antimanic Agents↗