Altered serotonin 2A receptor activity in women who have recovered from bulimia nervosa. |
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| Authors: | W H Kaye G K Frank C C Meltzer J C Price C W McConaha P J Crossan K L Klump L Rhodes |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. kayewh@msx.upmc.edu |
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| Abstract: | OBJECTIVE: The authors' goal was to confirm that brain serotonin (5-HT) alterations are present in patients who have recovered from bulimia nervosa. Positron emission tomography imaging with [(18)F]altanserin was used to characterize binding of the 5-HT(2A) receptor, which might contribute to altered feeding, mood, or impulse control. METHOD: Nine women who had recovered from bulimia nervosa (they had no episodes of binge eating or purging, were at normal weight, and had regular menstrual cycles for more than 1 year) were compared with 12 female volunteers who had never had bulimia. RESULTS: The healthy volunteers, but not the women who had recovered from bulimia nervosa, had an age-related decline in 5-HT(2A) binding. Women who had recovered from bulimia nervosa had a reduction of medial orbital frontal cortex 5-HT(2A) binding. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of age-related changes in 5-HT activity is further evidence of 5-HT alterations in subjects who have recovered from bulimia nervosa. In addition, vulnerabilities for eating disorders, impulse dyscontrol, and mood disturbances may involve 5-HT and frontal lobe activity. |
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