Amphetamine induced dopamine release increases anxiety in individuals recovered from anorexia nervosa

Objective:

Genetic, pharmacologic, and physiological data suggest that individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) have altered striatal dopamine (DA) function.

Method:

We used an amphetamine challenge and positron emission tomography [¹¹C]raclopride paradigm to explore DA striatal transmission in 10 recovered (REC) AN compared with 9 control women (CW).

Results:

REC AN and CW were similar for baseline, postamphetamine [¹¹C]raclopride binding potential (BP_ND) and change (Δ) in BP_ND for all regions. In CW, ventral striatum Δ BP_ND was associated with euphoria (r = ?0.76; p = 0.03), which was not found for REC AN. Instead, REC AN showed a significant relationship between anxiety and Δ BP_ND in the precommissural dorsal caudate (r = ?0.62, p = 0.05).

Discussion:

REC AN have a positive association between endogenous DA release and anxiety in the dorsal caudate. This finding could explain why food‐related DA release produces anxiety in AN, whereas feeding is pleasurable in healthy participants. © 2011 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2012)