title: Enhanced platelet serotonin 5-HT2A receptor binding in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
abstract: Some evidence exists to suggest that serotonin 5-HT2A receptor function is altered in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. In order to further investigate the 5-HT2A receptor in eating disorders, platelet [3H]lysergic acid diethylamide ([3H]LSD) binding was studied in ten patients with anorexia nervosa, 23 patients with bulimia nervosa and 33 healthy controls. At admission, Bmax for platelet [3H]LSD binding was significantly higher both in the anorexia nervosa group (30.6+/-4.2 fmol/mg protein; mean+/-S.D.) and in the bulimia nervosa group (30.8+/-7.6 fmol/mg protein) than in the control group (23.5+/-6.3 fmol/mg protein; p=0.01 and p=0.003, respectively). Kd was borderline significantly higher among anorexics (median 1.45 nM) and significantly higher among bulimics (median 1.66 nM) than among controls (median 0.95 nM; p=0.05 and 0.003, respectively). The Global Assessment of Functioning score and the body mass index were both significantly negatively correlated to Kd (r=-0.40; p=0.03 and r=-0.41 p=0.03, respectively), but not to Bmax. The present study indicates that patients with anorexia nervosa as well as patients with bulimia nervosa have an enhanced 5-HT2A receptor binding and provides further evidence for a serotonergic dysfunction in eating disorders.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Norrland University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden. olav.spigset@relis.rit.no
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Spigset
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hägg
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mjöndal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002032:Bulimia / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide / Q000378:metabolism*; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide