Antibodies against human putamen in adolescents with anorexia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether antiputamen antibodies are present in adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN).


METHODS
Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with an extract of human putamen as an antigen, sera samples obtained from 22 adolescents with active AN and from 22 healthy adolescents (control group) were assayed for antibodies to neuronal components


RESULTS
Mean optical density (OD) readings for serum antibodies against human putamen in adolescents with AN was significantly greater than the mean OD readings in the control group (0.492 +/- 0.086 vs. 0.275 +/- 0.028, p =.02). When serum positivity was defined as an OD level greater than 2 SD above the mean control group value (0.541), antiputamen antibodies were detected in the blood of 6 AN patients (27%) whereas they were detected in the blood of 1 patient (5%) in the control group (p <.05; Fisher's exact test).


CONCLUSIONS
The detection of antiputamen antibodies in adolescents with AN suggests an underlying immune process at the putamen level in some patients with this eating disorder.
Harel
Z
Z
Division of Adolescent Medicine, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA.
Hallett
J
J
Riggs
S
S
Vaz
R
R
Kiessling
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011699:Putamen / Q000276:immunology*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000906:Antibodies; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D005473:Fluoxetine; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010890:Pirenzepine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors