title: Eating disorders and the serotonin connection: state, trait and developmental effects.
abstract: Alterations in brain serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) function are thought to contribute to diverse aspects of eating disorders, including binge eating, perfectionism, impulsivity and mood-regulation problems. In addition, 5-HT anomalies in individuals with eating disorders are believed to have multiple determinants associated with secondary (state-related) effects of their nutritional status, hereditary effects (related to such trait variations as impulsivity or perfectionism) and, possibly, long-term neurobiologic sequelae of developmental stressors (such as childhood abuse). On the strength of the available neurobiologic and genetic data, this paper presents the idea that 5-HT variations in those with eating disorders represent (1) a structured coaggregation of biologic, psychologic and social influences and (2) converging state, trait and developmental effects. Data are taken to support a multidimensional model of 5-HT function in eating disorders that, it is argued, can serve as a prototype for etiologic modelling, diagnostic classification and clinical decision-making bearing not only upon eating disorders but also upon other psychiatric disturbances.
authors.affiliation: Eating Disorders Program, Douglas Hospital, and the Psychiatry Department, McGill University, Montréal, Que. stehow@douglas.mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Steiger
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin