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07:46
Using the Activity-based Anorexia Rodent Model to Study the Neurobiological Basis of Anorexia Nervosa
Published on: October 22, 2015
The 'drive for activity' and "restlessness" in anorexia nervosa: potential pathways
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Room 2365, CA 94305-5723, USA. rcasper@stanford.edu
Journal of Affective Disorders
|February 2, 2006
Summary
Anorexia nervosa (AN) patients exhibit a unique "drive for activity" during starvation, unlike typical starvation responses. This restlessness, linked to CNS systems, may stem from evolutionary food scarcity mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by physiological and endocrine changes associated with starvation.
- A historical but under-recognized symptom of AN is a 'drive for activity' or restlessness, distinct from the lethargy of simple starvation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the hypothesis that a 'drive for activity' is a characteristic symptom of acute anorexia nervosa.
- To review central nervous system (CNS) systems potentially involved in mediating this drive for activity and alertness in AN.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical reports and experimental evidence on restlessness and 'drive for activity' in AN.
- Examination of CNS systems implicated in activity and arousal, including the CRH, MSH/AGRP, and NE/DA systems.
Main Results:
- The 'drive for activity' in AN appears starvation-dependent and diminishes with food intake.
- Several CNS systems, including CRH, MSH/AGRP, and catecholamine systems, are altered in AN and may contribute to increased activity and alertness.
Conclusions:
- The 'drive for activity' in AN may represent a reactivation of ancient mechanisms for foraging during food scarcity, possibly involving conserved genes.
- Recognizing this 'drive for activity' as a diagnostic symptom, assessed before nutritional rehabilitation, is crucial for understanding AN's etiology.
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