This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (40)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Behavioral, Cardiovascular, and Neurochemical Effects

James F. Leckman, MD; Sharon Ort, RN, MPH; Keith A. Caruso; George M. Anderson, PhD; Mark A. Riddle, MD; Donald J. Cohen, MD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1986;43(12):1168-1176.

Abstract
• Following an open trial of clonidine hydrochloride (3 to 8 µg/kg/day for 12 weeks), we studied the behavioral, cardiovascular, and neurochemical effects of abrupt clonidine withdrawal in seven patients with Tourette's syndrome aged 9 to 13 years. Five patients showed marked worsening of tics. After reinitiation of clonidine therapy, the time required for patients to return to prewithdrawal levels of tic symptoms ranged from two weeks to four months. Increases in motor restlessness, blood pressure, and pulse rate were also observed over the 72-hour period following abrupt withdrawal of clonidine. Plasma levels of free 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol, homovanillic acid, and urinary excretion of norepinephrine and epinephrine increased during the withdrawal period. Clonidine's effectiveness in Tourette's syndrome may be dependent on changes in dopaminergic as well as adrenergic mechanisms.

Author Affiliations
From the Child Study Center (Drs Leckman, Anderson, Riddle, and Cohen, and Mr Caruso and Ms Ort), Children's Clinical Research Center (Dr Leckman), and the Departments of Psychiatry (Drs Leckman, Riddle, and Cohen), Pediatrics (Drs Leckman, Riddle, and Cohen), and Laboratory Medicine (Dr Anderson), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Sept 11, 1985.

Reprint requests to Child Study Center, 1-269 SHM, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 3333, New Haven, CT 06510 (Dr Leckman).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Clonidine as an Adjunct Therapy to Opioids for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
Agthe et al.
Pediatrics 2009;123:e849-e856.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A placebo-controlled study of lofexidine in the treatment of children with tic disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Niederhofer et al.
J Psychopharmacol 2003;17:113-119.
ABSTRACT  

Stimulant Medication Withdrawal During Long-term Therapy in Children With Comorbid Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Chronic Multiple Tic Disorder
Nolan et al.
Pediatrics 1999;103:730-737.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Predictors of Clonidine Response in Tourette Syndrome: Implications and Inferences
Lichter and Jackson
J Child Neurol 1996;11:93-97.
ABSTRACT  

Self-Injurious Behavior Associated With Clonidine Withdrawal in a Child With Tourette's Disorder
Dillon
J Child Neurol 1990;5:308-310.
ABSTRACT