The eating disorders bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa are serious psychiatric syndromes affecting 2 to 3 percent of young women, and significant although smaller number of young men. Women with bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa manifest abnormalities in regulation of serotonin, a central nervous system (CNS) neurotransmitter involved in regulation of food intake, mood and impulsive/obsessional behaviors. The goal of the current project is to evaluate whether abnormalities in serotonin regulation reflection reflect trait-related characteristics present in individuals who develop an eating disorder. Recurrent dieting is a frequent precursor to bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. In healthy controls, dieting decreases blood tryptophan levels, resulting in an apparent decrease in CNS serotonin synthesis. Normally, serotonergic pathways are though to respond to dieting through augmentation of post-synaptic receptor responsiveness. It is hypothesized that in women with a neurobiological predisposition to eating disorders, CNS receptors are not able to respond adequately to compensate for diet-associated decreases in serotonin synthesis. This deficiency could contribute to the onset of eating disorder symptoms. Study groups will include women who have recovered from bulimia nervosa, women who have recovered from anorexia nervosa, and healthy female controls. Based on a randomized, controlled, crossover design, subjects will participate in low-tryptophan and normal tryptophan eight-day study diets. In comparison to results in controls, the long-term remitted patient groups are anticipated to respond to a low-tryptophan diet with significantly impaired diet-induced augmentation of dexfenfluramine-stimulated prolactin response. Indirect measures of physiological/metabolic response to dietary changes, including blood leptin concentration, will be compared across study groups. These studies will provide important new information on the potential roles of dieting and serotonin in the development of eating disorders.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH045466-07
Application #
2873041
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZMH1-BRB-D (02))
Program Officer
Dolan-Sewell, Regina
Project Start
1991-09-30
Project End
2001-01-31
Budget Start
1999-02-01
Budget End
2000-01-31
Support Year
7
Fiscal Year
1999
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Department
Type
DUNS #
076593722
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02215
Daley, Karen A; Jimerson, David C; Heatherton, Todd F et al. (2008) State self-esteem ratings in women with bulimia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in remission. Int J Eat Disord 41:159-63
Morgan, Jessica C; Wolfe, Barbara E; Metzger, Eran D et al. (2007) Obsessive-compulsive characteristics in women who have recovered from bulimia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord 40:381-5
Wolfe, Barbara E; Jimerson, David C; Orlova, Christine et al. (2004) Effect of dieting on plasma leptin, soluble leptin receptor, adiponectin and resistin levels in healthy volunteers. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 61:332-8
Wolfe, B E; Metzger, E D; Levine, J M et al. (2001) Laboratory screening for electrolyte abnormalities and anemia in bulimia nervosa: a controlled study. Int J Eat Disord 30:288-93
Jimerson, D C; Mantzoros, C; Wolfe, B E et al. (2000) Decreased serum leptin in bulimia nervosa. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 85:4511-4
Wolfe, B E; Metzger, E D; Levine, J M et al. (2000) Serotonin function following remission from bulimia nervosa. Neuropsychopharmacology 22:257-63
Wolfe, B E; Metzger, E; Jimerson, D C (1997) Research update on serotonin function in bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. Psychopharmacol Bull 33:345-54
Jimerson, D C; Wolfe, B E; Metzger, E D et al. (1997) Decreased serotonin function in bulimia nervosa. Arch Gen Psychiatry 54:529-34