title: Anorexia nervosa: a rogue hibernation?
abstract: Anorexia nervosa is a puzzling and often tragic disorder which causes the individual to self starve and hyper-exercise. We present a speculative analysis of the disorder which begins by acknowledging and accepting the adaptation to flee famine theory. This theory holds that anorexia nervosa results from activation of an archaic pathway that functioned well during human's nomadic past. We advance this idea by suggesting that the faulty signal indicating there is a famine, arises from misalignment of the circadian/circannual oscillations. Entry and exit from hibernation is dependent on these cycles, and we draw an analogy between hibernation and anorexia nervosa. We offer ideas for testing the hypothesis, and targeting these faulty signals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Boston University, United States. Electronic address: scolnick@bu.edu.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Scolnick
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Boston University, United States. Electronic address: dmostof@bu.edu.
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Mostofsky
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D002980:Climate; D055423:Diet, Ketogenic; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000737:chemistry; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000737:chemistry; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009991:Oscillometry; D010789:Phototherapy; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013217:Starvation / Q000534:rehabilitation
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D008550:Melatonin