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Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Using the Activity-based Anorexia Rodent Model to Study the Neurobiological Basis of Anorexia Nervosa
Published on: October 22, 2015
An open trial of olanzapine in anorexia nervosa
Nicole C Barbarich1, Claire W McConaha, Jill Gaskill
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa Research Module, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Background:
Recent reports raise the possibility that olanzapine can assist weight gain and improve behavioral symptoms during refeeding in anorexia nervosa.
Method:
Seventeen DSM-IV anorexia nervosa subjects hospitalized between May 1999 and October 2000 were enrolled in open-label treatment with olanzapine for up to 6 weeks. Baseline weight and symptoms were compared to patients' status at the end of treatment.
Results:
Olanzapine administration was associated with a significant reduction in depression, anxiety, and core eating disorder symptoms, and a significant increase in weight. A comparison with our historical data suggests that subjects in this study had a significantly greater decrease in depression.
Conclusion:
These data lend support to the possibility that olanzapine may be useful in treating anorexia nervosa. However, a controlled trial is necessary to demonstrate that olanzapine is efficacious.
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