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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Using the Activity-based Anorexia Rodent Model to Study the Neurobiological Basis of Anorexia Nervosa
Published on: October 22, 2015
[Starving to death : the paradox of anorexia nervosa]
S Moukhaiber1, C Piette2, J-M Triffaux2
1Psychologie Médicale, Hôpital de Jour Universitaire La Clé, Université de Liège, Belgique.
Abstract:
Anorexia nervosa is a complex pathology that regularly leads clinicians to a therapeutic impasse. The origin of this disorder is multifactorial. It occurs most often in adolescence and affects mainly women. Paradoxically, hunger is present but dissociated from adequate food function. Somatic and psychological impact can be particularly heavy. The treatment is difficult and requires a multidisciplinary care. An eclectic and integrative approach, moving away from rigid therapeutic methods and integrating the plurality of techniques, seems to be particularly recommended to increase the chances of therapeutic success. This article summarizes the various theoretical models of anorexia nervosa and its modalities of treatment.
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