Dopamine Imbalance Linked to Trichotillomania
A study using SAPAP3 knockout mice reveals that dysfunction in the brain's reward circuit, particularly reduced activity and dopamine receptor imbalances in the nucleus accumbens, may drive trichotillomania. The research highlights complex effects of oxytocin on compulsive grooming and aggression, suggesting new avenues for targeted treatments focused on dopamine pathways and synaptic interactions. The findings also underscore sex differences and the importance of circuit-level understanding in developing therapies for hair-pulling disorder.