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Adams KL, Mandy W, Catmur C, Bird G. Potential mechanisms underlying the association between feeding and eating disorders and autism. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 162:105717. [PMID: 38754718 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
There is a reliable association between autism and Feeding and Eating Disorders. Concerningly, where these two conditions co-occur, clinical outcomes of Feeding and Eating Disorders are significantly worse, and treatment less effective, than when the Feeding and Eating Disorders occur in neurotypical individuals. Problematically, the reason for the association between autism and Feeding and Eating Disorders is poorly understood, which constrains advances in clinical care. This paper outlines several possible mechanisms that may underlie the observed association and suggests ways in which they may be empirically tested. Mechanisms are split into those producing an artefactual association, and those reflecting a genuine link between conditions. Artefactual associations may be due to conceptual overlap in both diagnostic criteria and measurement, Feeding and Eating Disorders causing transient autistic traits, or the association being non-specific in nature. A genuine association between autism and Feeding and Eating Disorders may be due to common causal factors, autism directly or indirectly causing Feeding and Eating Disorders, and Feeding and Eating Disorders being a female manifestation of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiera Louise Adams
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - William Mandy
- Division of Psychology and Language, University College London, London, UK
| | - Caroline Catmur
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Geoffrey Bird
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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2
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KAGIZMAN SC, HOCAOGLU C. Oxytocin in the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders. Medeni Med J 2023; 38:218-231. [PMID: 37767153 PMCID: PMC10542980 DOI: 10.4274/mmj.galenos.2023.13707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a peptide hormone that is most known for its role in reproduction. However, many effects other than reproduction have been defined. The lifetime prevalence of mental disorders is approximately 20%, and they have a significant ratio among the diseases that lead to disability. Treatment resistance may cause the mental disorder to become chronic and increase disability. With the examination of the oxytocinergic system, both the elucidation of the etiology of the diseases and their evaluation as a new treatment option have come to the fore. In various studies, it has been desired to create a more effective treatment model by measuring the level of oxytocin in psychiatric disorders, examining its receptor, and applying exogenous oxytocin in the treatment. In this review, an overview of oxytocin's efficacy in treatment is presented by considering the relationship between psychiatric disorders and the oxytocinergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salim Cagatay KAGIZMAN
- Hitit University Erol Olcok Training and Research Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Corum, Turkey
| | - Cicek HOCAOGLU
- Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Rize, Turkey
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3
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Aulinas A, Muhammed M, Becker KR, Asanza E, Hauser K, Stern C, Gydus J, Holmes T, Murray HB, Breithaupt L, Micali N, Misra M, Eddy KT, Thomas JJ, Lawson EA. Oxytocin response to food intake in avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. Eur J Endocrinol 2023; 189:149-155. [PMID: 37474111 PMCID: PMC10396082 DOI: 10.1093/ejendo/lvad087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the response of anorexigenic oxytocin to food intake among adolescents and young adults with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), a restrictive eating disorder characterized by lack of interest in food or eating, sensory sensitivity to food, and/or fear of aversive consequences of eating, compared with healthy controls (HC). DESIGN Cross-sectional. METHODS A total of 109 participants (54 with ARFID spectrum and 55 HC) were instructed to eat a ∼400-kcal standardized mixed meal. We sampled serum oxytocin at fasting and at 30-, 60-, and 120-min postmeal. We tested the hypothesis that ARFID would show higher mean oxytocin levels across time points compared with HC using a mixed model ANOVA. We then used multivariate regression analysis to identify the impact of clinical characteristics (sex, age, and body mass index [BMI] percentile) on oxytocin levels in individuals with ARFID. RESULTS Participants with ARFID exhibited greater mean oxytocin levels at all time points compared with HC, and these differences remained significant even after controlling for sex and BMI percentile (P = .004). Clinical variables (sex, age, and BMI percentile) did not show any impact on fasting and postprandial oxytocin levels among individuals with ARFID. CONCLUSIONS Consistently high oxytocin levels might be involved in low appetite and sensory aversions to food, contributing to food avoidance in individuals with ARFID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Aulinas
- Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, IIB-Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER Unidad 747), ISCIII, 08025 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Vic—Central University of Catalonia, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maged Muhammed
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kendra R Becker
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elisa Asanza
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kristine Hauser
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Casey Stern
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Julia Gydus
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Tara Holmes
- Translational and Clinical Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Helen Burton Murray
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
- Center for Neurointestinal Health, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lauren Breithaupt
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nadia Micali
- Eating Disorders Research Unit, Mental Health Services of the Capital Region of Denmark, Psychiatric Centre Ballerup, 2750 Ballerup, Denmark
- Population, Policy and Practice, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, WC1N 1EH, London, United Kingdom
| | - Madhusmita Misra
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kamryn T Eddy
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jennifer J Thomas
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
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Miller ML, Sanzari CM, Timko CA, Hormes JM. Impact of virtual adjunctive cognitive remediation therapy on cognitive flexibility and treatment outcomes in comorbid anorexia nervosa and exercise dependence as quantified using novel biomarkers: A stage 1 registered report. Int J Eat Disord 2023; 56:1449-1460. [PMID: 37464977 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with significant individual mental and physical suffering and public health burden and fewer than half of patients recover fully with current treatments. Comorbid exercise dependence (ExD) is common in AN and associated with significantly worse symptom severity and treatment outcomes. Research points to cognitive inflexibility as a prominent executive function inefficiency and transdiagnostic etiologic and maintaining mechanism linking AN and ExD. This study will evaluate the initial efficacy of adjunctive Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT), which has been shown to produce cognitive improvements in adults with AN, in targeting cognitive inflexibility in individuals with comorbid AN and ExD. As an exploratory aim, this study also addresses the current lack of quick and cost-effective assessments of cognitive flexibility by establishing the utility of two proposed biomarkers, heart rate variability and salivary oxytocin. METHOD We will conduct a single-group, within-subjects trial of an established CRT protocol delivered remotely as an adjunct to inpatient or intensive outpatient treatment as usual (TAU) to adult patients (n = 42) with comorbid AN and ExD. Assessments, including self-report, neuropsychological, and biomarker measurements, will occur at three time points. RESULTS We expect CRT to increase cognitive flexibility transdiagnostically and consequently, along with TAU, positively impact AN and ExD compulsivity and symptom severity, including weight gain. DISCUSSION Findings will inform the development of more effective integrative interventions for AN and ExD targeting shared mechanisms and facilitate the routine assessment of cognitive flexibility as a transdiagnostic risk and maintaining factor across psychopathologies in clinical and research settings. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE Patients with anorexia nervosa often engage in excessive exercise, leading to harmful outcomes, including increased suicidal behavior. This study examines the preliminary efficacy of an intervention that fosters flexible and holistic thinking in patients with problematic eating and exercise to, along with routine treatment, decrease harmful exercise symptoms. This study also examines new biological markers of the inflexible thinking style thought to be characteristic of anorexia nervosa and exercise dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- McKenzie L Miller
- Department of Psychology, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
| | | | - C Alix Timko
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Julia M Hormes
- Department of Psychology, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
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Russell J, Hunt GE. Oxytocin and eating disorders: Knowledge gaps and future directions. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 154:106290. [PMID: 37178641 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Eating disorders continue to be a major public health issue and important cause of morbidity and premature mortality, particularly for young people. Yet in a concerning dialectic, this occurs in the context of an epidemic of obesity which, with its medical complications, constitutes another vexing public health challenge. While it is not an eating disorder per se obesity is often comorbid with eating disorders. Effective treatment for both eating disorders and obesity has proven to be elusive and in the search for novel therapeutic interventions, the prosocial, anxiolytic, brain plasticity and metabolic effects of oxytocin (OT) have been examined from this perspective. The availability of intranasal oxytocin (IN-OT) has led to a number of interventional treatment studies in anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), their atypical and subclinical forms and in medical and psychiatric conditions co-occurring or comorbid with these, obesity with BED would be included here. The aim of this mini review is to collate recent findings on OT as a novel therapeutic intervention in eating disorders and obesity and to identify and address some of the knowledge gaps in the use of IN-OT. The wider clinical perspective utilised here might better address some of the gaps and identify future directions of research. Clearly much remains to be done for OT to fulfil its therapeutic promise in eating disorders. OT might yet be of therapeutic promise and will be appreciated where treatment advances have been hard to come by and prevention challenging for these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice Russell
- University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Marie Bashir Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Local Area Health Service, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Specialty of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Australia.
| | - Glenn E Hunt
- University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Speciality of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW, Australia
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Giel KE, Schag K, Leehr EJ, Mack I, Schuster LS, Wiegand A, Zipfel S, Hallschmid M, Nieratschker V. OXTR DNA methylation differentiates men on the obesity spectrum with and without binge eating disorder. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:108. [PMID: 36042529 PMCID: PMC9429727 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01318-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) plays a role in the regulation of eating behavior and metabolism. OXT functioning is altered in patients with eating and weight disorders, and a variant of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) has been associated with impulsive eating behavior as it is seen in patients with binge eating disorder (BED). Gene × environment interactions could play a role in BED. One mechanism mediating this interaction is the epigenetic alteration of gene expression. We therefore investigated if DNA methylation of the OXTR differs between individuals with obesity depending on a comorbid BED. We analyzed DNA methylation of the OXTR in peripheral blood of 227 individuals on the obesity spectrum (mean age: 40.3 ± 13.1 yrs; mean BMI: 38.6 ± 7.3 kg/m2), 130 of which were diagnosed with BED. RESULTS There were no overall differences in OXTR methylation between participants with and those without BED (p > 0.05), while both subgroups were comparable regarding age and body mass index (BMI), but significantly differed in sex distribution (p = 0.035). We found no relationship between mean DNA methylation and BMI or self-reported eating disorder (ED) pathology. Analyzing potential sex differences revealed a significantly lower OXTR DNA methylation in male participants with BED as compared to those without BED (p = 0.017). No such difference was found in the female subsample (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Clinically significant binge eating pathology might be associated with lower OXTR DNA methylation exclusively in males. The differential DNA methylation of OXTR in males with BED supports the view that BED represents a phenotype within the obesity spectrum that is characterized by specific vulnerability factors. A better understanding of the epigenetic underpinnings of the OXT system might contribute to the refinement of OXT administration approaches as potential interventions in eating and weight disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Elisabeth Giel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany. .,Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders (KOMET), Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Kathrin Schag
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders (KOMET), Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Johanna Leehr
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Straße 11, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Isabelle Mack
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders (KOMET), Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lea-Sarah Schuster
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ariane Wiegand
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stephan Zipfel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders (KOMET), Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Manfred Hallschmid
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioural Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Straße 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Otfried-Müller-Straße 10, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen (IDM), Otfried-Müller-Straße 10, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Vanessa Nieratschker
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
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Tereshchenko S, Azanova A, Shubina M, Gorbacheva N. Oxytocin genetic pathway (CD38) and SDQ psychosocial characteristics in adolescent schoolchildren. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2022; 122:117-123. [DOI: 10.17116/jnevro2022122111117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Plessow F, Galbiati F, Eddy KT, Misra M, Miller KK, Klibanski A, Aulinas A, Lawson EA. Low oxytocin levels are broadly associated with more pronounced psychopathology in anorexia nervosa with primarily restricting but not binge/purge eating behavior. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1049541. [PMID: 36798485 PMCID: PMC9927219 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1049541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Anorexia nervosa (AN) is commonly associated with depression, anxiety, and deficits in socioemotional functioning. Basal levels of oxytocin, a neurohormone with antidepressant, anxiolytic, and prosocial properties, are low in women with AN. However, the relationship between oxytocin and psychopathology of AN/atypical AN has not been examined in individuals with primarily food restriction (AN/AtypAN-R) or those with restriction plus binge/purge behaviors (AN/AtypAN-BP) alone, which is important to further elucidate the neurobiology of different AN presentations. We investigated whether oxytocin levels are related to eating, affective, and socioemotional psychopathology in women with AN/AtypAN-R and separately AN/AtypAN-BP. METHODS In a cross-sectional study of 53 women with low-weight AN or atypical AN based on DSM-5 (AN/AtypAN-R: n=21, AN/AtypAN-BP: n=32), we obtained fasting serum oxytocin levels and self-report measures of psychopathology, including the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), Beck Depression Inventory-IA (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). RESULTS In individuals with AN/AtypAN-R, oxytocin levels were negatively associated with eating psychopathology (EDE-Q Global Score: r=-0.49, p=0.024), depressive and anxiety symptoms (BDI Total Score: r=-0.55, p=0.009; STAI Trait Score: r=-0.63, p=0.002), and socioemotional symptoms (TAS-20 Difficulty Identifying Feelings Score: r=-0.49, p=0.023). In contrast, in those with AN/AtypAN-BP oxytocin levels were negatively associated with depressive symptoms only (BDI Total Score: r=-0.52, p=0.049). CONCLUSIONS These findings support the notion that AN/AtypAN-R and AN/AtypAN-BP might have divergent underlying neurobiology. Understanding these differences is crucial to develop targeted treatments for a population with high levels of chronicity, for which no specific pharmacological treatments are currently available. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION https://clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT01121211.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Plessow
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Francesca Galbiati
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kamryn T. Eddy
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Madhusmita Misra
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Karen K. Miller
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Anne Klibanski
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Anna Aulinas
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elizabeth A. Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Elizabeth A. Lawson,
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Malcolm A, Phillipou A. Current directions in biomarkers and endophenotypes for anorexia nervosa: A scoping review. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 137:303-310. [PMID: 33735721 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.02.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
There are currently no validated biomarkers for anorexia nervosa (AN), though recent literature suggests an increased research interest in this area. Biomarkers are objective, measurable indicators of illness that can be used to assist with diagnosis, risk assessment, and tracking of illness state. Related to biomarkers are endophenotypes, which are quantifiable phenomena that are distinct from symptoms and which link genes to manifest illness. In this scoping review, we sought to provide a summary of recent research conducted in the pursuit of biomarkers and endophenotypes for AN. The findings indicate that a number of possible biomarkers which can assess the presence or severity of AN independently of weight status, including psychophysical (e.g., eye-tracking) and biological (e.g., immune, endocrine, metabolomic, neurobiological) markers, are currently under investigation. However, this research is still in early phases and lacking in replication studies. Endophenotype research has largely been confined to the study of several neurocognitive features, with mixed evidence to support their classification as possible endophenotypes for the disorder. The study of biomarkers and endophenotypes in AN involves significant challenges due to confounding factors of illness-related sequalae, such as starvation. Future research in these areas must prioritise direct evaluation of the sensitivity, specificity and test-retest reliability of proposed biomarkers and enhanced control of confounding physical consequences of AN in the study of biomarkers and endophenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Malcolm
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts & Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia.
| | - Andrea Phillipou
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts & Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia; Department of Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Mental Health, Austin Health, Melbourne, Australia
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10
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Hong SM, Ko JK, Moon JJ, Kim YR. Oxytocin: A Potential Therapeutic for Obesity. J Obes Metab Syndr 2021; 30:115-123. [PMID: 33820878 PMCID: PMC8277591 DOI: 10.7570/jomes20098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide involved in the homeostasis of food consumption and energy; it affects hedonic eating. Studies in obese or binge-eating patients reported the hypophagic effect of oxytocin, which reduced caloric intake after administration. Several studies have demonstrated the effect of oxytocin’s increasing energy intake, decreasing food consumption, and contributing to weight loss. Oxytocin’s effects on food intake and metabolism suggest its therapeutic potential for treating obesity and binge eating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo Min Hong
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jeong-Kyung Ko
- Institute of Eating Disorders and Mental Health, Inje University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jung-Joon Moon
- Department of Psychiatry, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Korea
| | - Youl-Ri Kim
- Institute of Eating Disorders and Mental Health, Inje University, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Psychiatry, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University, Seoul, Korea
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11
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Rajkumar RP. Harnessing the Neurobiology of Resilience to Protect the Mental Well-Being of Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Psychol 2021; 12:621853. [PMID: 33815205 PMCID: PMC8012770 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.621853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Healthcare workers are at a high risk of psychological morbidity in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is significant variability in the impact of this crisis on individual healthcare workers, which can be best explained through an appreciation of the construct of resilience. Broadly speaking, resilience refers to the ability to successfully adapt to stressful or traumatic events, and thus plays a key role in determining mental health outcomes following exposure to such events. A proper understanding of resilience is vital in enabling a shift from a reactive to a proactive approach for protecting and promoting the mental well-being of healthcare workers. Research in the past decade has identified six areas that provide promising leads in understanding the biological basis of individual variations in resilience. These are: (1) the key role played by the monoamines noradrenaline and serotonin, (2) the centrality of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in influencing stress vulnerability and resilience, (3) the intimate links between the immune system and stress sensitivity, (4) the role of epigenetic modulation of gene expression in influencing the stress response, (5) the role played by certain neuropeptides as a natural “brake” mechanism in the face of stress, and (6) the neurobiological mechanisms by which environmental factors, such as exercise, diet, and social support, influence resilience to subsequent life events. Though much of this research is still in its early stages, it has already provided valuable information on which strategies – including dietary changes, lifestyle modification, environmental modification, psychosocial interventions, and even pharmacological treatments – may prove to be useful in fostering resilience in individuals and groups. This paper examines the above evidence more closely, with a specific focus on the challenges faced by healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and provides suggestions regarding how it may be translated into real-world interventions, as well as how the more tentative hypotheses advanced in this field may be tested during this critical period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Philip Rajkumar
- Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India
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Tereshchenko S, Kasparov E, Zobova S, Smolnikova M, Evert L, Semenova N, Zaitseva O, Shubina M, Gorbacheva N, Lapteva L. Oxytocin Pathway Gene ( CD38, OXTR) Variants Are Not Related to Psychosocial Characteristics Defined by Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in Adolescents: A Field School-Based Study. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:714093. [PMID: 34434131 PMCID: PMC8380924 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.714093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: CD38 is a transmembrane glycoprotein that regulates oxytocin (OT) production and influences social interactions. The oxytocin receptor (OXTR) has been studied intensively regarding its association with human psychosocial functions. Many studies have demonstrated a link between CD38 rs3796863 and OXTR rs53576 polymorphic regions and psychosocial characteristics as well as various psychiatric disorders in adolescents. Some studies, however, have reported null findings. Methods: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief psychopathologic screening tool recommended for detecting psychosocial problems and psychiatric disorders in adolescents. The current field school-based study, conducted among urban Siberian adolescents (n = 298 aged 12-18), explored the SDQ scales in relation to polymorphisms of the CD38 and the OXTR genes (rs3796863 and rs53576, respectively). Results: None of the studied genotypes were associated with the SDQ results for the complete sample with presumed statistical power as 0.80 to detect a medium-size effect (Cramer's V = 0.3) at α = 0.0083. Post-hoc analysis in subgroups showed that OT pathway high activity may cause some negative consequences, such as emotional instability in older (aged 15-18) adolescent boys who are carriers of the rs53576 GG variant. Conclusion: Variations at the CD38 rs3796863 and OXTR rs53576 loci were not associated with psychosocial characteristics of adolescents assessed with the SDQ. In studies with a similar design, we recommend replication with larger samples and greater power to detect small effects, especially in age-sex subgroups of adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Tereshchenko
- Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Edward Kasparov
- Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Svetlana Zobova
- Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, Krasnoyarsk, Russia.,Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Marina Smolnikova
- Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Lidia Evert
- Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Nadezhda Semenova
- Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Olga Zaitseva
- Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Margarita Shubina
- Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Nina Gorbacheva
- Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Ludmila Lapteva
- Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
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13
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Abstract
The hypothalamic peptide oxytocin has been increasingly recognized as a hormone and neurotransmitter with important effects on energy intake, metabolism, and body weight and is under investigation as a potential novel therapeutic agent for obesity. The main neurons producing oxytocin and expressing the oxytocin receptor are strategically located in brain areas known to be critically involved in homeostatic energy balance as well as hedonic and motivational aspects of eating behavior. In this chapter, we will review the central and peripheral physiology of oxytocin and the interaction of oxytocin with key hormones and neural circuitries that affect food intake and metabolism. Next, we will synthesize the available data on endogenous oxytocin levels related to caloric intake, body weight, and metabolic status. We will then review the effects of exogenous oxytocin administration on eating behavior, body weight, and metabolism in humans, including in healthy individuals as well as specific populations with suspected perturbations involving oxytocin pathways. Finally, we will address the promise and fundamental challenges of translating this line of research to clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liya Kerem
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
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14
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Melkonyan A, Liu L, Brown EC, Meyer W, Madipakkam AR, Ringelmann L, Lange F, Schmid SM, Münte TF, Park SQ. Unchanged food approach-avoidance behaviour of healthy men after oxytocin administration. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12923. [PMID: 33314397 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The oxytocinergic system has been assumed to contribute to food intake, possibly via interactions with dopamine. However, so far, it is unknown whether oxytocin influences the underlying motivational behaviour towards food. In the present study, we used a food-based approach-avoidance task (AAT) in a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over design to compare intranasal oxytocin with a placebo. In the AAT, participants pushed or pulled a joystick when images of foods with a high or low craving rating were presented, where differences in response times typically reflect approach and avoidance motivational biases towards positively and negatively valence stimuli, respectively. Thirty-three healthy male participants (age = 25.12 ± 3.51 years; body mass index = 24.25 ± 2.48 kg/m2 ) completed the two-session study, one with placebo and the other with oxytocin. We used mixed-effects models to investigate effects of treatment (oxytocin, placebo), response type (approach, avoid) and stimulus (high, low craving). The results showed that both approach and avoid responses tended to be faster for foods higher in craving compared to foods lower in craving. Most importantly, we did not observe any significant effects of oxytocin compared to placebo in motivational behaviour towards food. Our study demonstrates a general response bias towards foods with different craving values, which could have implications for future studies investigating food-related behaviour. We discuss possible explanations for the null effects of oxytocin and suggest further investigation of the relationship between oxytocin, dopamine and food-reward processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Melkonyan
- Department of Decision Neuroscience and Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition, (DIfE), Nuthetal, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Decision Neuroscience and Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition, (DIfE), Nuthetal, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Diabetes, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Elliot C Brown
- Department of Decision Neuroscience and Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition, (DIfE), Nuthetal, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Diabetes, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Willi Meyer
- Department of Decision Neuroscience and Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition, (DIfE), Nuthetal, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | | | - Lina Ringelmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Franziska Lange
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Sebastian M Schmid
- Deutsches Zentrum für Diabetes, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Thomas F Münte
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Soyoung Q Park
- Department of Decision Neuroscience and Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition, (DIfE), Nuthetal, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Diabetes, Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Neuroscience Research Center, Berlin, Germany
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15
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Investigating resting brain perfusion abnormalities and disease target-engagement by intranasal oxytocin in women with bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder and healthy controls. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:180. [PMID: 32513936 PMCID: PMC7280271 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00871-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in the treatment of bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder (BN/BED) have been marred by our limited understanding of the underpinning neurobiology. Here we measured regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) to map resting perfusion abnormalities in women with BN/BED compared with healthy controls and investigate whether intranasal oxytocin (OT), proposed as a potential treatment, can restore perfusion in disorder-related brain circuits. Twenty-four women with BN/BED and 23 healthy women participated in a randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study. We used arterial spin labelling MRI to measure rCBF and the effects of an acute dose of intranasal OT (40 IU) or placebo over 18-26 min post dosing, as we have previously shown robust OT-induced changes in resting rCBF in men in a similar time-window (15-36 min post dosing). We tested for effects of treatment, diagnosis and their interaction on extracted rCBF values in anatomical regions-of-interest previously implicated in BN/BED by other neuroimaging modalities, and conducted exploratory whole-brain analyses to investigate previously unidentified brain regions. We demonstrated that women with BN/BED presented increased resting rCBF in the medial prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortices, anterior cingulate gyrus, posterior insula and middle/inferior temporal gyri bilaterally. Hyperperfusion in these areas specifically correlated with eating symptoms severity in patients. Our data did not support a normalizing effect of intranasal OT on perfusion abnormalities in these patients, at least for the specific dose (40 IU) and post-dosing interval (18-26 min) examined. Our findings enhance our understanding of resting brain abnormalities in BN/BED and identify resting rCBF as a non-invasive potential biomarker for disease-related changes and treatment monitoring. They also highlight the need for a comprehensive investigation of intranasal OT pharmacodynamics in women before we can fully ascertain its therapeutic value in disorders affecting predominantly this gender, such as BN/BED.
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16
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Romano A, Friuli M, Cifani C, Gaetani S. Oxytocin in the neural control of eating: At the crossroad between homeostatic and non-homeostatic signals. Neuropharmacology 2020; 171:108082. [PMID: 32259527 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The understanding of the biological substrates regulating feeding behavior is relevant to address the health problems related to food overconsumption. Several studies have expanded the conventional view of the homeostatic regulation of body weight mainly orchestrated by the hypothalamus, to include also the non-homeostatic control of appetite. Such processes include food reward and are mainly coordinated by the activation of the central mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway. The identification of endogenous systems acting as a bridge between homoeostatic and non-homeostatic pathways might represent a significant step toward the development of drugs for the treatment of aberrant eating patterns. Oxytocin is a hypothalamic hormone that is directly secreted into the brain and reaches the blood circulation through the neurohypophysis. Oxytocin regulates a variety of physiologic functions, including eating and metabolism. In the last years both preclinical and clinical studies well characterized oxytocin for its effects in reducing food intake and body weight. In the present review we summarize the role played by oxytocin in the control of both homeostatic and non-homeostatic eating, within cognitive, metabolic and reward mechanisms, to mostly highlight its potential therapeutic effects as a new pharmacological approach for the development of drugs for eating disorders. We conclude that the central oxytocinergic system is possibly one of the mechanisms that coordinate energy balance at the crossroads between homeostatic and non-homeostatic mechanisms. This concept should foster studies aimed at exploring the possible exploitation of oxytocin in the treatment of aberrant eating patterns. This article is part of the special issue on Neuropeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adele Romano
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "V. Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Marzia Friuli
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "V. Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Cifani
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, via Madonna delle Carceri, 9, 62032, Camerino, MC, Italy
| | - Silvana Gaetani
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "V. Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
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17
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Tereshchenko SY, Smolnikova MV. [Oxitocin is a hormone of trust and emotional attachment: the influence on behavior of children and adolescents]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2020; 119:148-153. [PMID: 31994529 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro2019119121148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
This review presents current data on the mechanisms of production and reception of oxytocin and its effect on the socio-emotional aspects of behavior in different age periods of childhood and adolescence. The main hormonal role of oxytocin is to regulate the process of carrying a fetus, childbirth and lactation, as well as the establishment of social connections from the infancy period (connection with parents with a child) throughout childhood to adolescence and adult periods of life. Its central action takes the most important part in cognitive, emotional and behavioral processes. In addition, oxytocin plays a role in the regulation of food and sexual behavior, in the mechanisms of visceral hypersensitivity and pain perception. The analysis of publications covering the most important role of oxytocin in the formation of the emotional interaction between parents and children in different age periods: infancy, preschool and adolescence was carried out. A brief analysis of genetically determined features of the production and reception of oxytocin and their role in the regulation of behavioral responses is presented. In addition, the review briefly highlights aspects of the likely involvement of oxytocin in the mechanisms of formation of certain psychopathological conditions in children and adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Yu Tereshchenko
- Research Institute for Medical Problems in the North-Division of Federal Research Center 'Krasnoyarsk Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the RAS', Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - M V Smolnikova
- Research Institute for Medical Problems in the North-Division of Federal Research Center 'Krasnoyarsk Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the RAS', Krasnoyarsk, Russia
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18
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Aulinas A, Plessow F, Pulumo RL, Asanza E, Mancuso CJ, Slattery M, Tolley C, Thomas JJ, Eddy KT, Miller KK, Klibanski A, Misra M, Lawson EA. Disrupted Oxytocin-Appetite Signaling in Females With Anorexia Nervosa. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2019; 104:4931-4940. [PMID: 31251345 PMCID: PMC6734487 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2019-00926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT In healthy females, oxytocin levels decrease postmeal, corresponding to increased satiety. The postprandial response of oxytocin in females with anorexia nervosa (AN)/atypical AN is unknown. OBJECTIVES To determine the pattern of postprandial serum oxytocin levels in females with AN/atypical AN, relationship with appetite, and effect of weight, eating behavior, and endogenous estrogen status. DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING Clinical research center. PARTICIPANTS 67 women (36 with AN [<85% expected body weight (EBW)]; 31 with atypical AN [≥ 85% EBW)]), age 22.4 ± 0.9 (mean ± SEM) years, categorized by weight, restricting vs binge/purge behavior, and estrogen status. INTERVENTIONS Standardized mixed meal. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS Blood sampling for oxytocin occurred fasting and 30, 60, and 120 minutes postmeal. Subjective appetite was assessed using visual analog scales. RESULTS In females with AN/atypical AN, oxytocin levels decreased from fasting to 60 (P = 0.002) and 120 (P = 0.005) minutes postmeal. The decrease in oxytocin from fasting to 120 minutes was greater in females with atypical AN than AN (P = 0.027) and did not differ by restricting vs binge/purge behavior or estrogen status. Controlling for caloric intake, the decrease in oxytocin was inversely related to the decrease in hunger postmeal in females with atypical AN (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS In females with AN/atypical AN, oxytocin levels decrease postmeal, as established in healthy females. Weight, but not restricting vs binge/purging nor endogenous estrogen status, affects postprandial oxytocin levels. The postprandial change in serum oxytocin levels is related to appetite in females with atypical AN only, suggesting a disconnect between oxytocin secretion and appetite in the undernourished state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Aulinas
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Franziska Plessow
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Elisa Asanza
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Meghan Slattery
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Christiane Tolley
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jennifer J Thomas
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kamryn T Eddy
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Karen K Miller
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Anne Klibanski
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Madhusmita Misra
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Correspondence and Reprint Requests: Elizabeth A. Lawson, Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, Massachussetts 02114. E-mail:
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19
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Daubenbüchel AM, Özyurt J, Boekhoff S, Warmuth-Metz M, Eveslage M, Müller HL. Eating behaviour and oxytocin in patients with childhood-onset craniopharyngioma and different grades of hypothalamic involvement. Pediatr Obes 2019; 14:e12527. [PMID: 31013553 DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.12527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with childhood-onset craniopharyngioma (CP) often suffer from tumour or treatment-related hypothalamic lesions (HL). These lesions may alter production of oxytocin, which plays a major role in the regulation of eating behaviour and body composition. OBJECTIVE In CP with different degrees of HL, we investigated associations between HL, eating behaviour/eating attitudes, and oxytocin saliva concentrations (OSC). METHODS In a cross-sectional case-control study on 34 CP and 73 healthy controls, OSC were measured before, and 60 minutes after breakfast by immunoassay. Eating behaviour, attitudes, and habits were assessed by standardized questionnaires. RESULTS CP with anterior + posterior HL presented with more adverse eating behaviours/symptoms of eating disorders than CP without HL, CP with anterior HL, and controls. Eating behaviour in CP with anterior HL was similar to controls, except for their tendency towards high dietary restraints. Decreases in postprandial compared with fasting OSC were associated with adverse eating behaviour in CP and controls and with higher BMI in CP. CONCLUSIONS CP with anterior HL and CP with anterior + posterior HL present with distinct patterns of eating behaviour. Reduced postprandial compared with fasting OSC is associated with weight problems in CP and with adverse eating behaviour and symptoms of eating disorders in both CP and controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Daubenbüchel
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Klinikum Oldenburg AöR, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Jale Özyurt
- Biological Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Svenja Boekhoff
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Klinikum Oldenburg AöR, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
| | | | - Maria Eveslage
- Institute of Biostatistics and Clinical Research, University Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Hermann L Müller
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University Children's Hospital, Klinikum Oldenburg AöR, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
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20
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Onaka T, Takayanagi Y. Role of oxytocin in the control of stress and food intake. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12700. [PMID: 30786104 PMCID: PMC7217012 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin neurones in the hypothalamus are activated by stressful stimuli and food intake. The oxytocin receptor is located in various brain regions, including the sensory information-processing cerebral cortex; the cognitive information-processing prefrontal cortex; reward-related regions such as the ventral tegmental areas, nucleus accumbens and raphe nucleus; stress-related areas such as the amygdala, hippocampus, ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamus and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray; homeostasis-controlling hypothalamus; and the dorsal motor complex controlling intestinal functions. Oxytocin affects behavioural and neuroendocrine stress responses and terminates food intake by acting on the metabolic or nutritional homeostasis system, modulating emotional processing, reducing reward values of food intake, and facilitating sensory and cognitive processing via multiple brain regions. Oxytocin also plays a role in interactive actions between stress and food intake and contributes to adaptive active coping behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsushi Onaka
- Division of Brain and NeurophysiologyDepartment of PhysiologyJichi Medical UniversityShimotsuke‐shiJapan
| | - Yuki Takayanagi
- Division of Brain and NeurophysiologyDepartment of PhysiologyJichi Medical UniversityShimotsuke‐shiJapan
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