title: Does the impairment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in anorexia nervosa depend on increased sensitivity to endogenous melatonin?
abstract: The authors hypothesize that the impairment of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in patients suffering from anorexia nervosa depends (at least in part) on the increased sensitivity to endogenous melatonin. The hypothesis is based mainly on the following facts: (1) melatonin is well known to exert an inhibitory effect on gonadotropin secretion; (2) melatonin binding is increased in brains of fasted rats; (3) undernutrition dramatically increases the inhibitory effect of exogenous melatonin on gonadotropin-releasing hormone-induced gonadotropin secretion in female rats; (4) the administration of propranolol in girls suffering from anorexia nervosa diminishes the nocturnal peak of melatonin and, in parallel, restores the gonadotropin response to gonadotropin-releasing hormone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Endocrinology and Hormone Diagnostics, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pawlikowski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zarzycki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D005508:Food Deprivation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008550:Melatonin / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010053:Ovary / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D008550:Melatonin