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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Self-mutilation and sleep stage in the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.

Correlation of self-mutilation and sleep stage in the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome was studied by a polygraphic method. Five patients and three control boys were monitored with EEG, EOG, EMG, ECG and respiration throughout the night. The results were as follows: 1. The sleep-time of the patients was much disturbed during the night. 2. Decreased REM density was noticed with low DQ of the patients. 3. Self-mutilation during sleep-time was observed a lot in stages 1, 2, and REM in two cases. 4. No correlation was observed between body movement and self-mutilation in the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. These data suggested functional disorders of the frontal lobe in the patients.

Adolescent↗

Male genital self-mutilation.

Men who intentionally mutilate or remove their own genitals are likely to be psychotic at the time of the act, to have a number of goals and aims relating to conflicts about the male role, and to be vulnerable to sociocultural and psychological forces in a causal network as yet unknown. However, from a review of the cases of 53 male self-mutilators, it appears that a significant number involve individuals not psychotic at the time of the act but rather having character disorders and rageful feelings toward themselves or women, and transsexual males who premeditate their own gender conversion surgery. The psychiatric consultant's role in the management of such an individual in the general hospital setting includes not only care of a patient with a psychotic or impulse disorder but also involves support of the house staff, who are distressed by the fear, guilt, hopelessness, anger, and revulsion that the patient's act of genital self-mutilation causes.

Adult↗

The pathology of self-mutilation and destructive acts: a forensic study and review.

Self-destructive behavior of man and its consequences may be presented in various forms, including self-mutilation, injury, and malingering, and with various manifestations, including the Munchausen syndrome, polysurgery, purposeful accidents, impotence, and frigidity. The general subject of focal suicide has been a relatively unknown and unrecognized entity for different reasons, including the fact that most physicians are trained to approach a case in a manner which treats the patient-physician relationship as one of honor and faith regarding the authenticity of the complaints of the patient. The maturity of years and experience may be required before the physician becomes aware of the motivation of patients' behavior. It is hoped that this article will provide new insight into areas which may be unfamiliar to the forensic practitioner and clinician but which might enable them to learn about the background of an unexpected death or the possibilities of motivation in civil suits alleging professional negligence or malpractice.

Forensic Medicine↗

Self-mutilation of the eye.

While the act of self-enucleation is rare, other self-inflicted eye injuries may be more common. Six patients are reported who have documented histories of ocular self-mutilation. Several common factors are observed in these patients and in other cases reported in the literature: (1) the patient was judged to be psychotic; (2) the patient had a tyrannical conscience; (3) a source of guilt was present; (4) this guilt was displaced to the eye; and (5) an attempt at self-inflicted eye injury was followed by relief from anxiety when completed or by frustration when injury was prevented.

Adult↗

Deafferentation hypersensitivity in the rat after dorsal rhizotomy: a possible animal model of chronic pain.

Unilateral dorsal rhizotomies were done at the cervicothoracic and lumbosacral spinal cord levels in rats. In preliminary experiments dermatome maps were determined for the roots to be sectioned. The behavior of 37 rats was observed for many months after the rhizotomies. The rats with the dorsal roots sectioned in the cervicothoracic spinal cord exhibited the following behavior: at the border of the skin adjacent to the zone of deafferentation, the rat scratched vigorously and progressively denuded the skin; self-mutilation of varying degrees occurred in the deafferented limb. In some animals scratching occurred in the contralateral skin dermatome opposite to the partially deafferented zone. The rats with the dorsal roots sectioned at the lumbosacral level exhibited hypersensitivity to cutaneous stimulation but there was no scratching or self-mutilation. These results are discussed in the light of previous similar research.

Afferent Pathways↗

Hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome.

Hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) and adenosine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) were examined from 11 individuals with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, 10 of their first- or second-degree relatives, and 3 normal controls. It has been suggested that in some self-mutilating Tourette patients, HGPRT shows a time-related loss of activity at 4 degrees C, and an unusual isoelectrofocusing pattern. Although 3 patients experienced self-mutilation, no consistent abnormalities were found in the temperature-stability of their HGPRT at 4 degrees C and 70 degrees C, or in isoelectrofocusing of HGPRT purified by immunoprecipitation. An alteration of the purine metabolic pathway in Tourette syndrome has not been established.

Female↗

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome: further studies and thoughts.

A possible association between the Gilles de la Tourette and Lesch-Nyhan syndromes has recently been postulated. Fourteen patients with Tourette syndrome demonstrated no similarity to Lesch-Nyhan based upon patterns of inheritance, behavioral changes, or alterations of purine metabolism. Despite a strong male predominance, a sex-linked pattern of inheritance could not be confirmed. Self-mutilating behavior was found in 4 male patients but was readily differentiated from that characteristic of the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. Quantitation of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase and isoelectric focusing of its isoenzymes produced results that were indistinguishable from those in controls. We speculate that, pathophysiologically, Tourette syndrome represents an imbalance between the central neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin rather than an alteration in purine metabolism.

Child↗

Large skull defect in a headbanger.

A mentally retarded self-mutilating child developed a large skull defect at the site of repeated trauma. The bony defect involved only the outer table and had smooth bony margins.

Child↗

Effects of L-5-hydroxytryptophan on monoamine and amino acids turnover in the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.

In a patient with the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome we found decreased spinal fluid 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA), the major metabolite of serotonin, and decreased homovanillic acid (HVA), the major metabolite of dopamine, indicating a decrease in monoamine metabolism. Administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan and carbidopa produced an increase in spinal fluid 5-HIAA, indicating that it might be possible to correct the serotonin deficiency in this syndrome, but there were no changes in the marked mental retardation and neurological deficits. Self-mutilation appeared to be suppressed by therapy but the effectiveness of the drugs decreased with time. There were also changes in the spinal fluid concentration of amino acids that might affect brain protein synthesis. These changes were corrected during administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan and carbidopa.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗

Effects of food deprivation on etonitazene consumption in rats.

One group of free-feeding rats was given a 5 microgram/ml etonitazene HCl solution as their sole liquid. This group increased their drug intake by 100% when they were partially food-deprived during a 23-day period. Another group that remained food-satiated and received etonitazene for an equal number of days did not show similar increases in drug intake. However, this group drank greater volumes of the etonitazene solution than a food-satiated control group drank of water. These results are contrasted with a fourth group showing a 50% decrement in water intake during similar food-deprived conditions. The food-deprived group drinking etonitazene showed highly erratic drinking patterns compared to all the other groups. Daily liquid intake ranged from 30 to 250 ml in this group, and volumes oscillated from high to low on alternating days. When the food-deprived/food-satiated conditions were replicated in this experimental group, corresponding increases and decreases in drinking reliably occurred. However, during the second food-deprived phase, the large increases occurred almost immediately as contrasted with a gradual increase over 17 days during the first food-deprived phase. This would suggest a learning mechanism may be involved. Self-mutilation and other forms of stereotypy were noted only in food-deprived rats consuming etonitazene.

Animals↗

Further observations on the use of 5-hydroxytryptophan in a child with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.

The effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a serotonin precursor, and carbidopa, a peripheral aromatic amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor, were studied in a boy with the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. No effects on the self-mutilating behaviors of this disorder were noted. However, sleep patterns were normalized, with a reduction in the proportionate amounts of wakefulness and an augmentation of active sleep. A sharp reduction in waking behavioral dyskinesias was also correlated to increased drug dosage.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗

Auto-mutilation in animals and its relevance to self-injury in man.

Self-mutilation in non-human mammals is a well-established, although not a widely known phenomenon, which has been reported under zoo and laboratory conditions. In macaque monkeys, laboratory rearing and isolation are important predisposing factors, and the more serious self-injury is initiated by some immediate stimulating event. It is commonly accompanied by behaviour normally shown by the animal in a fighting context. Lower mammals are also known to mutilate themselves under laboratory conditions after administration of drugs wich probably cause increased sympathetic activity. The implications of this behaviour for an understanding of states of self-injury in man are discussed.

Aggression↗

Violence associated with phencyclidine abuse.

Violence associated with chronic phencyclidine (PCP) abuse was investigated by administering a structured interview to 16 chronic PCP abusers. A more intensive study was done of another individual who committed murder and self-mutilation under the influence of PCP. The results suggest that there is no consistent association between PCP-related violence and a history of violence not related to drug or alcohol abuse. The author defines four types of violence associated with chronic PCP abuse.

Adult↗