The Opiate Antagonist, Naltrexone, in the Treatment of Trichotillomania

October 2013 in “ Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology ”

Jon E. Grant, Brian L. Odlaug, Liana R.N. Schreiber, Suck Won Kim

naltrexone trichotillomania opioid antagonist hair pulling cognitive flexibility opiate system Revia TTM

TLDR Naltrexone did not significantly reduce hair pulling but improved cognitive flexibility.

This study investigated the effectiveness of the opioid antagonist naltrexone in treating trichotillomania (TTM) in 51 adults over an 8-week, double-blind trial. The results showed that naltrexone did not significantly reduce hair pulling compared to a placebo. However, cognitive flexibility improved significantly with naltrexone (P = 0.026). Additionally, participants with a family history of addiction experienced a greater, though not statistically significant, reduction in the urge to pull hair. The study suggested that future research should explore the potential of pharmacological modulation of the opiate system in managing TTM in specific subgroups.

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