gastrins and Anorexia-Nervosa

We recruited 10 patients with anorexia nervosa and 6 age- and height-matched control subjects. Basal and postprandial concentrations of glucose, insulin, cholesterol, amino acids, gastrin, and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) were measured in response to a standard mixed meal. The only satiety signal that was significantly different between the anorectic group and the control group was PP (P less than 0.001). Tryptophan-LNAA and tyrosine-LNAA ratios were not significantly different in the two groups; however, there was a trend toward a lower tryptophan-LNAA ratio in the anorectic group. Gastrin concentrations were significantly decreased in the anorectic group (P less than 0.001) as were basal insulin concentrations (P less than 0.05). Decreased gastrin concentrations may play a role in the gastric symptoms associated with anorexia nervosa. Previous findings that PP release is diminished in obesity, together with the present findings of PP increase in anorexia nervosa, suggest that this peptide may play a role in appetite control mechanisms.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Amino Acids; Analysis of Variance; Anorexia Nervosa; Appetite; Blood Glucose; Cholesterol; Feeding Behavior; Female; Gastrins; Humans; Insulin; Pancreatic Polypeptide; Satiation; Tryptophan; Tyrosine

It has been shown that the gastrointestinal hormone cholecystokinin (CCK) induces satiety and reduces food intake in laboratory animals and humans. In the light of this evidence we studied CCK release in patients suffering from eating disorders. The secretion of CCK into the general circulation was measured in 10 anorectic, in 7 bulimic patients, and in 8 healthy controls before and after a high-caloric liquid testmeal. Baseline CCK values were similar in controls (0.6 +/- 0.2 pmol/l) and bulimics (0.6 +/- 0.1 pmol/l) and were significantly increased in the anorectic group (1.8 +/- 0.4 pmol/l) (p less than or equal to 0.005). After eating peak plasma levels increased to 6.1 +/- 0.9 pmol/l in the anorectic, to 3.8 +/- 0.5 pmol/l in the bulimic and to 2.7 +/- 0.6 pmol/l in the control group. All postprandial CCK values were significantly higher in the anorectic group. The secretion of CCK-8-S, an important peptide in the CCK family, was significantly elevated, too. This disturbed CCK secretion in patients suffering from anorexia nervosa, even if it is a secondary, diet-induced defect, may perpetuate this disorder.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anorexia Nervosa; Bulimia; Cholecystokinin; Eating; Female; Gastrins; Humans; Male; Radioimmunoassay; Statistics as Topic

Thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), distributed throughout the gastrointestinal tract, and anorexigenic peptide (AP), isolated recently from the urine of females with "hypothalamic" anorexia nervosa, have been shown to affect food intake but no study has been performed to compare their action on gastrointestinal secretions. This report shows that both TRH and AP reduce dose-dependently the food intake during sham-feeding and inhibit gastric and pancreatic secretions in response to various exogenous and endogenous stimulants in conscious dogs. The results indicate that TRH and AP have similar inhibitory action on feeding and gastrointestinal secretory activity and that they may be involved in peptidergic mediation of satiety and gastrointestinal secretion.

Topics: Animals; Anorexia Nervosa; Appetite Depressants; Bicarbonates; Dogs; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Eating; Gastric Acid; Gastric Juice; Gastrins; Humans; Insulin; Oligopeptides; Pancreas; Pepsin A; Proteins; Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone

Topics: Adolescent; Anorexia Nervosa; Female; Gastric Juice; Gastrins; Gastrointestinal Motility; Humans

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anorexia Nervosa; Blood Glucose; Female; Gastrins; Gastrointestinal Hormones; Humans; Hyperthyroidism; Insulin; Male; Middle Aged

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anorexia Nervosa; Female; Gastrins; Gastrointestinal Hormones; Humans; Insulin; Motilin; Pancreatic Polypeptide