In:
British Journal of Psychiatry, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Vol. 172, No. 5 ( 1998-05), p. 438-442
Abstract:
Several studies have explored serotonin (5-HT) transmission in people with anorexia nervosa, but their results have been inconsistent. Method According to a double-blind placebo-controlled design, plasma prolactin response to the specific serotonergic probe d-fenfluramine was investigated in 10 underweight and two normal-weight women with anorexia, and in 12 age-matched healthy females. Eating-related psychopathology, depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and aggressiveness were measured by appropriate rating scales. Results Compared with healthy control subjects, the women with anorexia showed reduced baseline prolactin and oestrogen levels and increased basal Cortisol concentrations. The prolactin response to d-fenfluramine was blunted and did not correlate with psychopathological measures. Conclusions These results support a dysfunction of 5-HT transmission in anorexia nervosa. This dysfunction does not seem to be related to concomitant depressive or obsessive-compulsive symptoms or to the level of aggressiveness of the patients.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0007-1250
,
1472-1465
DOI:
10.1192/bjp.172.5.439
Language:
English
Publisher:
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Publication Date:
1998
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2021500-9
