Treatment improves serotonin transporter binding and reduces binge eating.
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.
Tammela
Liisa I
LI
Department of Clinical Nutrition, University of Kuopio and Kuopio University Hospital, 70211 Kuopio, Finland. Liisa.Tammela@uku.fi
Rissanen
Aila
A
Kuikka
Jyrki T
JT
Karhunen
Leila J
LJ
Bergström
Kim A
KA
Repo-Tiihonen
Eila
E
Naukkarinen
Hannu
H
Vanninen
Esko
E
Tiihonen
Jari
J
Uusitupa
Matti
M
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
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