title: Neuroendocrine effects of citalopram infusion in anorexia nervosa.
abstract: Because of the role of serotonin (5HT) in regulating food intake and mood, several studies have focused their attention on the assessment of serotonergic activity in eating disorders, and in particular in anorexia nervosa, but the results have been inconsistent. Citalopram, a highly selective 5HT reuptake inhibitor, has been recently reported as a neuroendocrine probe to assess the serotonergic function in physiological and pathological conditions. We evaluated the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) secretion during placebo or citalopram IV infusion (20 mg over 120 min), in six women with anorexia nervosa restricter type, and in six healthy women, in order to test the hypothesis that this neurotransmitter system is abnormal in this group of patients. ACTH and PRL secretion was higher during citalopram infusion compared to placebo (p<0.05) in both groups, while cortisol secretion was higher during citalopram infusion only in healthy controls (p<0.05), but not in anorexic patients. GH levels were unaffected by citalopram in both groups. These results demonstrate that serotonergic activation by citalopram affects corticotroph and lactotroph but not somatotroph secretion in anorexic as well as in normal subjects. Our preliminary findings do not support the existence of remarkable alterations in the serotonergic control of anterior pituitary function in anorexia nervosa, while there seems to be an impairment of the adrenal function in this group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Italy. valeria.mondelli@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mondelli
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gianotti
authors.forename: Andreea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Picu
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abbate Daga
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berardelli
authors.forename: Carmine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pariante
authors.forename: Secondo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fassino
authors.forename: Ezio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ghigo
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arvat
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood*; D015283:Citalopram / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000187:drug effects*; D010919:Placebos; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D015283:Citalopram; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D010919:Placebos; D011388:Prolactin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors