title: Brain type 1 cannabinoid receptor availability in patients with anorexia and bulimia nervosa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The endocannabinoid system is a possible target in the treatment of eating disorders. We used positron emission tomography to investigate the type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1R) in bulimic and anorectic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated 16 female bulimia nervosa patients (BN) (age = 23.8 ± 7.1 years) and 14 female anorexia nervosa patients (AN) (age = 20.5 ± 3.6 years) using the selective CB1R ligand [(18)F]MK-9470. The control group consisted of 19 age-matched women (age = 25.2 ± 8.5 years). Statistical parametric mapping (p(family-wise error) < .05) and volume-of-interest analyses of CB1R availability were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Global CB1R availability was significantly increased in cortical and subcortical brain areas in AN patients compared with healthy control subjects (+24.5%, p = .0003). Regionally, CB1R availability was increased in the insula in both AN and BN patients (p = .01 and p = .0004) and the inferior frontal and temporal cortex in AN patients only (p = .02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Global CB1R upregulation in AN patients is a possible long-term compensatory mechanism to an underactive endocannabinoid system in anorectic conditions. There is a similarity in CB1R dysregulation both in AN and BN in the insular cortex, which is involved in the integration of interoceptive information, gustatory information, reward, and emotion processing.
authors: Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Nathalie
authors: N
authors: Gérard
authors: University Psychiatric Centre, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Eating Disorder Clinic Kortenberg, Kortenberg, Belgium.
authors: Guido
authors: G
authors: Pieters
authors: Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Karolien
authors: K
authors: Goffin
authors: Laboratory for Radiopharmacy, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Guy
authors: G
authors: Bormans
authors: Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: koen.vanlaere@uzleuven.be.
authors: Koen
authors: K
authors: Van Laere
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011725:Pyridines; D011869:Radioligand Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; C528731:MK-9470; D011725:Pyridines; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1