title: Treatment improves serotonin transporter binding and reduces binge eating.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serotonin (5-HT) is involved in the control of eating behaviour by inhibiting food intake. Obese women with binge-eating disorder (OB-BED) were recently found to have reduced 5-HT transporter binding.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a successful treatment on 5-HT transporters in OB-BED.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 5-HT transporter binding of seven OB-BED was measured by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), by using iodine-123-labelled nor-beta-CIT as a tracer, before treatment and after successful treatment, when the OB-BED were asymptomatic. Treatment consisted of group psychotherapy and fluoxetine medication. The control subjects, six obese women without eating disorders, were also studied twice by using SPECT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 5-HT transporter binding of the symptomatically recovered OB-BED increased significantly (24+/-22%) after treatment, whereas in the control group, binding remained unchanged.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results tentatively suggest that 5-HT transporter binding in OB-BED is an adaptive mechanism, which can be affected by treatment. Furthermore, there seems to be a link between improved 5-HT transporter binding and reduced binge eating.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Nutrition, University of Kuopio and Kuopio University Hospital, 70211 Kuopio, Finland. Liisa.Tammela@uku.fi
authors.forename: Liisa I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Tammela
authors.forename: Aila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rissanen
authors.forename: Jyrki T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Kuikka
authors.forename: Leila J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Karhunen
authors.forename: Kim A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bergström
authors.forename: Eila
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Repo-Tiihonen
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naukkarinen
authors.forename: Esko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vanninen
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tiihonen
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uusitupa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002032:Bulimia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011485:Protein Binding; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005473:Fluoxetine; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012701:Serotonin; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human