Anorexia nervosa may be linked to a “sluggish” release of certain chemicals in the brain, animal studies suggest.
Male mice engineered to harbor a rare genetic mutation found in some people with eating disorders (and substance use disorders) were found to be deficient in a substance called a neurotransmitter. acetylcholineIn the striatum, a part of the brain, Learned behavior, desires, and rewards.
Although further validation and human trials are needed, the study “identifies a mechanism and a potential treatment to alleviate these severe mental illnesses,” say neuroscientist Mathieu Favier of McGill University in Montreal and his colleagues. Writing in a published paper.
In other words, restoring acetylcholine levels is Using drugs Already approved Alzheimer’s disease Treating the disease may help, but other types of treatments will probably be needed as well.
Fabier and his colleagues found that the aforementioned genetic mutation Substance use disorder The study included a new patient population, including those with eating disorders. The p.T8I mutation in the SLC17A8 gene is rare, found in only 9 of 793 cases in this study. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that the findings may not apply to all individuals with these disorders.
What these two disorders have in common is a habit that is difficult to break and, in the case of eating disorders, compulsive behavior driven by restriction and “reward.” Addictive drugs Activating the brain’s reward systemIt releases dopamine and other reward compounds in the brain.
Genetically engineered mice DonepezilThe Alzheimer’s drug, which blocks an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, had some striking effects: The animals began eating normally and, although they had previously exhibited behaviors reminiscent of binge eating and restrictive eating, lost less weight.
“We found that the anorexic-like behavior in the mice was completely reversed. We believe this could be the first mechanism-based treatment for anorexia nervosa.” To tell McGill University neuroscientist Sarah El Mestikawi is the lead author of the study.
“In fact, it’s already working for some patients with the disease.”
In a Canadian pilot study, 10 patients were treated with low-dose donepezil in a randomized controlled trial to test whether this treatment is superior to conventional treatment. placebo Relief of anorexia, Planned.
This repurposing of existing drugs to treat other diseases would be useful, but until those trials are completed, it’s unclear how applicable the animal results are to humans, or whether restoring acetylcholine levels is an effective treatment strategy.
In this study, male mice with eating disorders were Mainly affects women Therefore, gender differences may not have been taken into account. Donepezil has several known serious side effects. Clinical Trials Only low doses of the drug are tested.
However, the results offer cautious hope that drugs that can help treat anorexia may be developed in the near future. Highest mortality rate Among severe mental disorders.
As with many mental disorders, research is focused on the biological factors underlying conditions such as anorexia, as well as Mood disorders such as depressionand learn about the psychological aspects of each illness.
In 2019, scientists Eight genetic markers Analysis of DNA samples from about 17,000 people with anorexia nervosa and about 55,000 people without the disorder found genetic variants associated with the disorder, some of which are involved in how the body metabolizes fat and sugar.
Discovering these biological bases can help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness: showing that there is a physiological basis helps to shed light on the fact that people may have a genetic or biological predisposition to developing certain disorders.
But there is always an added layer of complexity, due to social, psychological and environmental factors (over which people may or may not have control) that act on those biological foundations.
Understanding the overlapping factors of mental illness also has implications for treatment. For example, a chemical imbalance of serotonin, which has long been thought to be the cause of mental illness, depressionpromoting the use of antidepressants that don’t work for many people, and now Research suggests The theory may be a bit off base.
In the case of anorexia, the use of acetylcholine inhibitors to treat anorexia and other obsessive-compulsive disorders may be controversial. Fabier et al. Take notes yourselfAnd no medicine is a panacea.
The current standard treatment is Behavioral therapywill continue to be part of the repertoire for helping patients. New Treatments will be explored.
This study Nature Communications.
