Clonidine treatment in vegetative dysfunction--experimental rationales.

The present paper attempts to place the clinical use of clonidine in gynecology in a broadened perspective against the most recent advances in neuropsychopharmacology. From this review emerges the concept that clonidine, by means of its action in the central nervous system, probably affects mechanisms of crucial significance in psychosomatic symptomatology, involving the balance between attention to the external versus the internal environment. Since brain NE systems such as the one originating in the LC influence or reach vast regions of the CNS and not only cardiovascular centres, any malfunction of the LC system, whether induced by, for example, drug addiction or hormonal factors, will affect a number of functions of the individual, particularly responses to stress, and, as we understand, cardiovascular and vegetative reactivity. At present we can hypothesize that a damping or, perhaps, stabilization of the responsiveness of brain NE systems may be a fundamental mechanism of action of clonidine in this regard. As a consequence of this discussion the use of clonidine in other disorders with a clear psychosomatic component, such as the irritable bowel syndrome as well as premenstrual tension, appear to be quite interesting future avenues to explore.