Inositol in Trichotillomania

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of inositol for the treatment of compulsive hair pulling, also known as trichotillomania. Inositol is used for diabetic nerve pain, panic disorder, high cholesterol, insomnia, cancer, depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, promoting hair growth, a skin disorder called psoriasis, and treating side effects of medical treatment with some medications, including lithium. The hypothesis to be tested is that Inositol will be effective and well tolerated in patients with trichotillomania compared to placebo. The proposed study will provide needed data on the treatment of the disabling disorder that currently lacks a clearly effective treatment.

Clinical Trial Description

Pathological hair-pulling, trichotillomania, has been defined as repetitive, intentionally performed pulling that causes noticeable hair loss and results in clinically significant distress or functional impairment (1). Trichotillomania appears relatively common with an estimated prevalence between 1-3% (2). Data on the pharmacological treatment of trichotillomania is limited to case reports and conflicting double-blind studies of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (3). Inositol is used for diabetic nerve pain, panic disorder, high cholesterol, insomnia, cancer, depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, promoting hair growth, a skin disorder called psoriasis, and treating side effects of medical treatment with some medications, including lithium. A small study (n=3) found that subject's showed improvement while taking Inositol in both trichotillomania and pathological skin picking (4). This suggests that Inositol might be effective in treating a large sample of subjects with trichotillomania and it also suggests that it may be effective for impulse control disorders in general. Inositol has also been shown to be effective in treating obsessive compulsive disorder and showed significantly lower scores on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (5). Both studies indicate the effectiveness of Inositol in treating impulsivity and compulsivity in subjects. There is no medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration for trichotillomania. Inositol represents a potentially safe and effective treatment. ;

Study Design

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

Clinical Trial Details

NCT number	NCT01875445
Study type	Interventional
Source	University of Chicago
Contact
Status	Completed
Phase	Phase 2
Start date	May 2013
Completion date	May 2016

View Details

See also
Status	Clinical Trial	Phase
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Completed	`NCT04559750` - Internet CBT for Trichotillomania and Skin Picking Disorder	N/A
Completed	`NCT01638975` - Response Inhibition Training for Individuals With Trichotillomania	N/A
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Completed	`NCT00182507` - Olanzapine in the Treatment of Hair Pulling (Trichotillomania)	Phase 4
Completed	`NCT00947154` - Trial of Aripiprazole in Trichotillomania	N/A
Completed	`NCT00354770` - N-Acetyl Cysteine in Trichotillomania	Phase 2
Completed	`NCT00004550` - Evaluation and Follow-up of Individuals With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Related Conditions	N/A
Completed	`NCT01878110` - Efficacy of COMB (Comprehensive Behavioral) Model of Treatment of Trichotillomania	N/A
Active, not recruiting	`NCT01075672` - Outcomes of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Interventions Provided by Unlicensed Professionals	N/A
Completed	`NCT01968343` - Trichotillomania: Group Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy	Phase 2

Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.

Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.