Dronabinol, a cannabinoid agonist, reduces hair pulling in trichotillomania: a pilot study.

“Trichotillomania is characterized by repetitive pulling causing noticeable hair loss. Pharmacological treatment data for trichotillomania are limited.

Dronabinol appears to reduce the exocitotoxic damage caused by glutamate release in the striatum and offers promise in reducing compulsive behavior.

 

RESULTS:

The medication was well-tolerated, with no significant deleterious effects on cognition.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study, the first to examine a cannabinoid agonist in the treatment of trichotillomania, found that dronabinol demonstrated statistically significant reductions in trichotillomania symptoms, in the absence of negative cognitive effects.

Pharmacological modulation of the cannabinoid system may prove useful in controlling a range of compulsive behaviors…”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21590520

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