Circulatory neurosteroid levels in underweight female adolescent anorexia nervosa inpatients and following weight restoration.
Nineteen female adolescent inpatients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, restricting type (AN-R) and 16 non-eating disordered (ED) controls were assessed for plasma dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEA-S), and cortisol levels, and for eating-related and non-eating-related psychopathology. AN-R patients were assessed at admission, 1 month and 4 months following hospitalization. The non-ED controls were assessed once. No baseline between-group differences were found in plasma cortisol, DHEA, and DHEA-S levels, whereas the patient group had a significantly lower Cortisol/DHEA-S ratio and elevated scores on most psychopathological parameters. A significant increase was found in the body mass index of the AN-R patients at 4 months post-hospitalization, accompanied by a decrease in plasma cortisol levels and a trend towards decreased Cortisol/DHEA and Cortisol/DHEA-S ratios, whereas no change occurred in psychopathology. The difference in Cortisol/DHEA-S ratio between AN-R patients and non-ED controls, and the different patterns of change in cortisol vs. DHEA(-S) levels following weight restoration, may in part account for the feeding difficulties in AN, particularly during refeeding.
Stein
D
D
Pediatric Psychosomatic Department, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Maayan
R
R
Ram
A
A
Loewenthal
R
R
Achiron
A
A
Modan-Moses
D
D
Feigin
M
M
Weizman
A
A
Valevski
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000097:blood*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology
D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D006854:Hydrocortisone