Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 18, 2026

Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System
Published on: May 8, 2018
[Anorexia nervosa: lost time]
1Inserm U 1253, Faculté de médecine, Université de Tours, 2 boulevard Tonnellé, 37032 Tours cedex, France.
Abstract:
This article analyzes anorexia nervosa through the hypothesis that at its core lies a profound alteration in the perception of time. More specifically, it develops the idea that time has evaporated for the anorexic subject (who lives outside of time). This distortion leads to compulsive behaviors - such as feeling compelled to act urgently or avoiding empty spaces - which are an organized response to the inability to contextualize emotions within a temporal framework. Ultimately, the fundamental loss of the sense of time produces, in the person in remission, the feeling of having wasted their time.
Related Concept Videos
Anorexia Nervosa
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Bulimia Nervosa
Binge Eating Disorders
Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Metabolic States of the Body: The Postabsorptive State
Initially, glycogen stored in the liver is broken down to release glucose into the bloodstream, while glycogen in the muscles is broken down to supply glucose for energy directly within the muscle cells. As glycogen stores diminish,...

