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Ghrelin and eating disturbances in psychiatric disorders
A Schanze1, U Reulbach, M Scheuchenzuber
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Erlangen, Germany.
Introduction:
Appetite and eating behavior are frequently altered in psychiatric patients. The newly discovered gut-derived neuropeptide ghrelin simulates hunger and weight gain. Therefore, it might be involved in appetite regulation during psychiatric disorders.
Methods:
In 83 depressed, 42 schizophrenic patients and 46 healthy controls plasma ghrelin levels were measured, and the psychometric scores on the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) were assessed.
Results:
Neither ghrelin levels nor TFEQ scores differed between both patient groups and healthy subjects. However, TFEQ subscale 2 (disinhibition) was predicted by BMI-corrected ghrelin levels, while age, sex, smoking, and medication did not show any influence.
Discussion:
Ghrelin correlates with factors of eating behavior, specifically with subscale 2 on the TFEQ. Ghrelin might be involved in appetite-regulating pathways during psychiatric disorders. However, its influence is not likely to be displayed as a difference between diagnostic groups. Rather, ghrelin is associated with eating behavior in psychiatric patients meaning susceptibility to eating problems.
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