title: Altered serotonin activity in anorexia nervosa after long-term weight restoration. Does elevated cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid level correlate with rigid and obsessive behavior?
abstract: To avoid the confounding influences of malnutrition or weight loss, we studied patients with anorexia nervosa at normal weight and stable dietary intake. Compared with 15 controls, 17 long-term weight-restored anorectic subjects had elevated concentrations of cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, the major serotonin metabolite, whereas levels of cerebrospinal fluid homovanillic acid, the major dopamine metabolite, were normal. Elevated levels of cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid may indicate increased serotonin activity. Such activity could contribute to pathological feeding behavior. Most importantly, this study raises the question as to whether increased cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels are associated with overly inhibited, anxious, or obsessive traits.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Psychology and Psychopathology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Md.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gwirtsman
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ebert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001835:Body Weight; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D004298:Dopamine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid