Behavioural response to m-chlorophenylpiperazine and clonidine in trichotillomania

Administration of m-chlorophenyl-piperazine (m-CPP), a partial serotonin agonist, may lead to acute exacerbation of symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), whereas administration of the alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, clonidine, may be followed by an acute decrease in symptoms. We studied behavioural response of 11 patients with trichotillomania, a disorder possibly related to OCD, to these agents and to placebo. No significant drug effects on specific trichotillomania symptoms were found. Patients experienced more of a 'high' feeling on m-CPP than on clonidine or placebo, a finding similar to that seen in patients with impulsive personality disorders.