alpha-MSH enhances activity-based anorexia
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Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Assessing Activity-based Anorexia in Mice
Published on: May 14, 2018
Jacquelien J G Hillebrand1, Martien J H Kas, Roger A H Adan
1Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology and Anatomy, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3594 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Activity-based anorexia (ABA) is considered an animal model of anorexia nervosa (AN). In ABA, scheduled feeding in combination with voluntary access to running wheels, results in hyperactivity, hypophagia, body weight loss and activation of the HPA axis. Since stimulation of the melanocortin (MC) system has similar effects, this system is a candidate system involved in ABA. Here it is shown that chronic alpha-MSH treatment enhances ABA by increasing running wheel activity (RWA), decreasing food intake and increasing HPA axis activation.
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