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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Assessing Activity-based Anorexia in Mice

Assessing Activity-based Anorexia in Mice

Published on: May 14, 2018

Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea is associated with elevated ghrelin and disordered eating.

Lisa F Schneider¹, Michelle P Warren

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032, USA. ls2086@columbia.edu <ls2086@columbia.edu>

Fertility and Sterility

|November 1, 2006

Summary

Elevated ghrelin levels in women with functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) correlate with abnormal eating behaviors and may prolong amenorrhea. This study investigated ghrelin, leptin, and eating patterns in FHA patients.

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A RAPID Method for Blood Processing to Increase the Yield of Plasma Peptide Levels in Human Blood

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Published on: April 28, 2016

Area of Science:

Endocrinology
Reproductive Health
Neuroscience

Background:

Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) is a condition characterized by the absence of menstruation due to disruptions in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
Ghrelin, a peptide hormone primarily produced in the stomach, is known to stimulate appetite and influence reproductive function.
Disordered eating behaviors are frequently observed in women with FHA, but the underlying physiological mechanisms remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether ghrelin levels are elevated in normal-weight women diagnosed with FHA.
To examine the association between ghrelin levels and abnormal eating behaviors in women with FHA.
To explore the potential role of ghrelin in the persistence of amenorrhea in this population.

Main Methods:

A controlled clinical study was conducted with healthy volunteers in an academic research setting.
The study included 27 women with FHA and 42 normally menstruating women.
Ghrelin levels, leptin levels, and eating behaviors (using the Eating Attitudes Test) were assessed as main outcome measures.

Main Results:

Women with FHA exhibited significantly higher ghrelin levels compared to controls.
While leptin levels were lower in the FHA group, the difference was not statistically significant.
Eating Attitudes Test scores were significantly elevated in women with FHA, particularly indicating bulimic behaviors, despite comparable caloric intake between groups.

Conclusions:

Elevated ghrelin in women with FHA may be associated with disordered eating patterns, as indicated by high Eating Attitudes Test scores.
Ghrelin might function as a metabolic signal that inhibits the return of reproductive cyclicity in women with FHA and disordered eating, even when leptin levels normalize.
These findings suggest a potential link between ghrelin, disordered eating, and the prolonged amenorrhea observed in FHA.