Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of weight gain, an unrelenting pursuit of thinness, and a distorted body image. It often leads to dangerously low body weight relative to an individual's age and height. This disorder is marked by significant physical and psychological consequences, making it one of the most life-threatening psychiatric illnesses.
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by a cyclical pattern of binge-and-purge eating pattern. It generally involves an episode of binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting, to prevent weight gain. Despite often maintaining a normal weight, individuals with bulimia are intensely preoccupied with their body image and harbor an overwhelming fear of gaining weight. This can contribute to the...

Binge Eating Disorders

Binge Eating Disorders

Binge eating disorder is a significant mental health condition characterized by recurrent episodes of excessive food consumption within a short period, accompanied by a perceived loss of control over eating behavior. Unlike occasional overeating, binge eating disorder is marked by distressing emotions such as guilt, shame, and anxiety following binge episodes. The disorder affects individuals across different ages and backgrounds, with profound implications for physical and psychological...

Bone Disorders

Bone Disorders

Aging and its effect on bone remodeling is the most common cause of bone disorders. In young and healthy people, bone deposition and resorption happen at an equal rate to maintain optimal bone health.
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...

Obesity

Obesity

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in adipocytes...

Signs of Puberty

Signs of Puberty

Puberty is a critical phase, typically beginning between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys, though timing can vary based on genetics, environmental factors, and overall health. This period is characterized by the development of secondary sexual characteristics and the attainment of reproductive potential. Endocrine changes underpin puberty, with hormonal surges of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) instigated by Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH)...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Meeting Future Demands of Acute Care Through the Home Hospital Care Model.

Journal of healthcare management / American College of Healthcare Executives·2025

Same author

Low oxytocin levels are broadly associated with more pronounced psychopathology in anorexia nervosa with primarily restricting but not binge/purge eating behavior.

Frontiers in endocrinology·2023

Same author

Physiologic Transdermal Estradiol Replacement Mimics Effects of Endogenous Estrogen on Bone Outcomes in Hypoestrogenic Women with Anorexia Nervosa.

Nutrients·2022

Same author

High Histone Deacetylase 2/3 Expression in Non-Functioning Pituitary Tumors.

Frontiers in oncology·2022

Same author

Sprouting Angiogenesis in Human Pituitary Adenomas.

Frontiers in oncology·2022

Same author

The effect of short-term high-caloric feeding and fasting on bone microarchitecture.

Bone·2021

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Assessing Activity-based Anorexia in Mice

Assessing Activity-based Anorexia in Mice

Published on: May 14, 2018

Increased bone marrow fat in anorexia nervosa.

Miriam A Bredella¹, Pouneh K Fazeli, Karen K Miller

¹Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yawkey 6E, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. mbredella@partners.org

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

|March 26, 2009

Summary

Women with anorexia nervosa (AN) exhibit increased bone marrow fat in the lumbar spine and femur. This elevated marrow fat inversely correlates with bone mineral density (BMD), suggesting potential bone weakness despite body fat depletion.

More Related Videos

Dual Effects of Melanoma Cell-derived Factors on Bone Marrow Adipocytes Differentiation

Dual Effects of Melanoma Cell-derived Factors on Bone Marrow Adipocytes Differentiation

Published on: August 23, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Assessing Activity-based Anorexia in Mice

Assessing Activity-based Anorexia in Mice

Published on: May 14, 2018

Dual Effects of Melanoma Cell-derived Factors on Bone Marrow Adipocytes Differentiation

Dual Effects of Melanoma Cell-derived Factors on Bone Marrow Adipocytes Differentiation

Published on: August 23, 2018

Area of Science:

Biomedical Imaging
Bone Metabolism
Eating Disorders

Background:

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by severe body fat depletion.
A paradoxical increase in bone marrow fat has been observed in women with AN.
Bone marrow fat and bone mineral density (BMD) may jointly indicate bone health.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of AN on spinal and femoral marrow fat accumulation using 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS).
To examine the relationship between marrow fat, BMD, and body composition in women with AN and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

Cross-sectional study conducted at a referral center.
Inclusion of 10 women with AN and 10 age-matched normal-weight controls.
Measurement of lumbar and femoral marrow fat via 1H-MRS and BMD via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.

Main Results:

Women with AN demonstrated significantly higher lumbar and femoral marrow fat compared to controls.
An inverse correlation was found between marrow fat (L4 and femur) and BMD (spine and hip).
Marrow fat inversely correlated with body mass index, thigh subcutaneous adipose tissue, and abdominal adipose tissue.

Conclusions:

Women with AN exhibit increased lumbar and femoral marrow fat compared to controls.
Marrow fat shows an inverse relationship with BMD, highlighting potential bone health concerns.
The paradoxical increase in marrow fat during overall fat depletion warrants further investigation into its functional implications.