title: Dopamine and anorexia nervosa.
abstract: We have suggested that reduced food intake increases the risk for anorexia nervosa by engaging mesolimbic dopamine neurons, thereby initially rewarding dieting. Recent fMRI studies have confirmed that dopamine neurons are activated in anorexia nervosa, but it is not clear whether this response is due to the disorder or to its resulting nutritional deficit. When the body senses the shortage of nutrients, it rapidly shifts behavior toward foraging for food as a normal physiological response and the mesolimbic dopamine neurons may be involved in that process. On the other hand, the altered dopamine status of anorexics has been suggested to result from a brain abnormality that underlies their complex emotional disorder. We suggest that the outcomes of the treatments that emerge from that perspective remain poor because they target the mental symptoms that are actually the consequences of the food deprivation that accompanies anorexia. On the other hand, a method that normalizes the disordered eating behavior of anorexics results in much better physiological, behavioral, and emotional outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Section of Applied Neuroendocrinology, Mandometer Clinic, Huddinge, S-14104 Huddinge, Sweden. Electronic address: per.sodersten@ki.se.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Södersten
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Section of Applied Neuroendocrinology, Mandometer Clinic, Huddinge, S-14104 Huddinge, Sweden.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bergh
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Section of Applied Neuroendocrinology, Mandometer Clinic, Huddinge, S-14104 Huddinge, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leon
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Section of Applied Neuroendocrinology, Mandometer Clinic, Huddinge, S-14104 Huddinge, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zandian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D013217:Starvation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D004298:Dopamine
keywords: Anorexia nervosa; Anorexia treatment; Dopamine; Eating behavior; Eating disorders; Eating pathology; Mental consequences of food deprivation