Role of endocannabinoids and their analogues in obesity and eating disorders

AbstractLeptin is an adipocyte-derived hormone, which is involved predominantly in the long-term regulation of body weight and energy balance by acting as a hunger suppressant signal to the brain. Leptin is also involved in the modulation of reproduction, immune function, physical activity, and some endogenous endocrine axes. Since anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are characterized by abnormal eating behaviors, dysregulation of endogenous endocrine axes, alterations of reproductive and immune functions, and increased physical activity, extensive research has been carried out in the last decade in order to ascertain a role of this hormone in the pathophysiology of these syndromes. In this article, we review the available data on leptin physiology in patients with eating disorders. These data support the idea that leptin is not directly involved in the etiology of AN or BN. However, malnutrition-induced alterations in its physiology may contribute to the genesis and/or the maintenance of some clinical manifestations of AN and BN and may have an impact on the prognosis of AN.

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The Role of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Binge-Eating/Purging Behaviours in Family Functioning in Eating Disorders

European Eating Disorders Review ◽

10.1002/erv.2371 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 23 (5) ◽

pp. 413-416 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Lies Depestele ◽

Laurence Claes ◽

Eva Dierckx ◽

Imke Baetens ◽

Katrien Schoevaerts ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Family Functioning ◽

Binge Eating ◽

Self Injury

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Treatment of Antidepressant-Resistant Bulimia with Naltrexone

The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine ◽

10.2190/0cmp-4xxh-3641-nrdw ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 305-309 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Jeffrey M. Jonas ◽

Mark S. Gold

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Preliminary Data ◽

Endogenous Opioids ◽

Opiate Antagonist ◽

Percent Reduction ◽

Bulimic Symptoms ◽

Long Acting ◽

Insight Into

Ten individuals with antidepressant-resistant bulimia were treated with the long-acting opiate antagonist naltrexone. Seven of the ten experienced at least a 75 percent reduction of their bulimic symptoms, and have maintained their improvment on three to five month follow-up. These preliminary data suggest that naltrexone may be of use in bulimia unresponsive to standard antidepressant therapy, and may provide insight into the role of endogenous opioids in the etiology of eating disorders.

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