Anorexia Nervosa

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Total news: 56
Last news: June 17, 2007 16:34:21

Pathogenesis and inflammatory responses of swine H1N2 influenza viruses in pigs.

Virus Res. 2007 Jun 12;

Authors: Jo SK, Kim HS, Cho SW, Seo SH

Swine influenza viruses are an important pathogen in pig industry. In this study, we wanted to know whether swine H1N2 influenza viruses circulating in Korean pigs would cause clinical signs in pigs when experimentally infected. When pigs were infected with swine H1N2 viruses isolated from Korean pigs, pigs suffered from severe clinical signs of coughing, nasal discharge, labored breathing, facial edema, anorexia, and diarrhea. When the level of cytokine induction was measured using lung tissues, pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IL-1, and IL-8 were induced higher in lungs of infected pigs than in lungs of uninfected pigs. However, no increased induction of the anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-10 was observed in lungs of infected pigs. These results suggest that the pathogenesis induced in pigs by H1N2 influenza viruses may be induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines instead of anti-inflammatory cytokines.

PMID: 17570553 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Clinical Endocrinology Volume 0, Issue ja. (Source: Clinical Endocrinology) - [Read more]

Self-starvation, bulimic behavior, and self-mutilation comprise a triad of associated self-harm syndromes that are potentially life threatening, with anorexia nervosa having the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder. They are associated with trauma and are extremely resistant to treatment. These patients present a disturbing lack of anxiety about their own life-threatening behavior, yet are preoccupied with death and anxiety about annihilation. Because dissociation compartmentalizes and separates psychological and somatic aspects of traumatic experience (psychological and somatoform dissociation), it enables these patients to disavow the life-threatening nature of their behavior, which makes the dissociative processes the most destructive factor in this psychopathology. The self-harm symptoms are a presymbolic form of communication that must be decoded and confronted in treatment to make recovery possible. For many patients who starve, purge, or mutilate themselves, the body is speaking of death. They require a treatment that protects their safety, determines their personal construct of death, treats the dissociative pathology and sadomasochism, and builds signal anxiety and other ego functions, especially affect regulation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: Psychoanalytic Psychology) - [Read more]

Pediatricians now have a practical tool to help determine whether children with chronic diseases like Crohns, juvenile arthritis and anorexia nervosa -- or those undergoing cancer treatment -- are at increased risk for bone mass deficiencies, fracture or osteoporosis as they get older, according to a new study whose lead author is a researcher at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases) - [Read more]

The aim of this workshop is to relate theoretical knowledge of cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) for anorexia nervosa (AN) as well as teach and practice the skills required to use CRT with this client group. There is robust evidence from neuropsychological laboratory research that patients with AN exhibit a trait of cognitive inflexibility/ poor ‘set-shifting’ (Tchanturia Read more]

Pediatricians now have a practical tool to help determine whether children with chronic diseases like Crohns, juvenile arthritis and anorexia nervosa or those undergoing cancer treatment are at increased risk for bone mass deficiencies, fracture or osteoporosis as they get older, according to a new study whose lead author is a researcher at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center. [click link for full article] (Source: Bones / Orthopaedics News From Medical News Today) - [Read more]

Acute exposure to hypobaric hypoxia is known to decrease food intake, but the molecular mechanisms of such alteration in feeding behavior remain unknown. We tested the hypothesis that hypothalamic AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation is affected by acute exposure to hypobaric hypoxia and thus would be involved in initial anorexia. To address this issue, male rats weighing 255–270 g were either submitted to hypobaric hypoxia (H, equivalent altitude of 5,500 m), maintained under local barometric pressure conditions (N), or pair-fed an equivalent quantity of food to that consumed by H rats (PF), for 6, 24, or 48 h. Daily food intake dropped by 73% during the first day of hypoxia (P < 0.01) and remained by 46% lower than in N rats thereafter (P < 0.01). Hypoxia per se, as estimated by comparing experimental data between the H and PF groups, increased ob gene transcription and plasma leptin concentration. A transient increase in glucose availability occurred in the H group compared with PF animals (P < 0.05). The hypoxic stimulus led to an early and transient decrease in hypothalamic AMPK and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) phosphorylation, concomitant with hypophagia and associated alterations in nutrients and hormones. An increase in NPY mRNA levels occurred from day 1, similarly in H and PF rats, and thus mainly related to food restriction alone (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that hypoxia per se inhibited AMPK and ACC phosphorylation in the hypothalamus, concomitant with profound anorexia. A powerful counterregulation occurs rapidly, mediated by NPY and devoted to avoid prolonged anorexia. (Source: Journal of Applied Physiology) - [Read more]

Background: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe mental illness. Drug treatments are not effective and there is no established first choice psychological treatment for adults with AN. Neuropsychological studies have shown that patients with AN have difficulties in cognitive flexibility: these laboratory based findings have been used to develop a clinical intervention based on Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) which aims to use cognitive exercises to strengthen thinking skills. Aims1) To conduct a preliminary investigation of CRT in patients with AN 2) to explore whether cognitive training improves performance in set shifting tasks 3) to explore whether CRT exercises are appropriate and acceptable to AN patients 4) to use the data to improve a CRT module for AN patients. Methods: Intervention was comprised of ten 45 minute sessions of CRT. Four patients with AN were assessed before and after the ten sessions using five set shifting tests and clinical assessments. At the end, each patient wrote a letter providing feedback on the intervention. Results: Post intervention, three of the five set shifting assessments showed a moderate to large effect size in performance and two showed a large effect size in performance, both indicative of improved flexibility. Patients were aware of an improvement in their cognitive flexibility qualitative feedback was generally positive towards CRT. DiscussionThis preliminary study suggests that CRT changed performance on flexibility tasks and may be beneficial for acute, treatment resistant patients with AN. Feedback gathered from this small case series has enabled modification of the intervention for a future larger study, for example, by linking exercises with real life behavioural tasks and including exercises that encourage global thinking. Conclusions: This exploratory study has produced encouraging data supporting the use of CRT in patients with AN: it has also provided insight into how the module should be tailored to maximise its effectiveness for people with acute AN. (Source: BioMed Central) - [Read more]

Oral contraceptives serve to further decrease testosterone levels in anorexic women.Medscape Medical NewsLouise Gagnon (Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines) - [Read more]

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship of body composition and neuroendocrine levels with clinical outcome in women with anorexia nervosa in a relapse-prevention trial. METHOD: Body composition and fasting cortisol and leptin levels were assessed before random assignment in 32 weight-recovered subjects with anorexia nervosa from the New York site of the Fluoxetine to Prevent Relapse in Women With Anorexia Nervosa trial. Clinical outcome at the end of study participation was defined using modified Morgan-Russell criteria (full, good, fair, poor), then dichotomized into treatment "success" or "failure." RESULTS: In a binary logistic regression model examining the effect of percent body fat, body mass index, anorexia nervosa subtype, waist-to-hip ratio, and serum cortisol and leptin levels on treatment outcome, only percent body fat was significantly associated with outcome. CONCLUSIONS: In recently weight-restored women with anorexia nervosa, lower percent body fat was associated with poor long-term outcome. (Source: Am J Psychiatry) - [Read more]

Summary  This meta analysis involved 41 studies published between January of 1985 and May of 2006, which examined the co-occurrence of eating disorders (ED) and alcohol use disorders (AUD) in women. Studies were reviewed and a quantitative synthesis of their results was carried out via the calculation of standardised effect sizes. Direction and strength of the relationships between AUD and specific disordered eating patterns were examined. Heterogeneity of reported results was also assessed and examined. Only 4 out of 41 studies reported negative associations between ED and AUD. The magnitude of the associations between eating-disordered patterns and AUD ranged from small to medium size and were statistically significant for any ED, bulimia nervosa (BN)/bulimic behavior, purging, binge eating disorder (BED) and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS). No association was found between anorexia nervosa (AN) and AUD. The magnitude of the association between BN and AUD was the most divergent across studies and those between each of BED and dietary restriction and AUD were the most consistent across studies. Reported associations of different patterns of disordered eating and AUD were generally weakest and most divergent when participants were recruited from clinical settings and strongest and most homogeneous when participants were recruited from student populations. Content TypeJournal Article JournalArchives of Womens Mental HealthOnline ISSN 1435-1102Print ISSN 1434-1816 (Source: Archives of Womens Mental Health) - [Read more]

Summary  In anorexia nervosa (AN), hyperactivity is observed in about 80% of patients and has been associated with low leptin levels in the acute stage of AN and in anorexia animal models. To further understand the importance of this correlation in AN, we investigated the relationship between hypoleptinaemia and hyperactivity in AN patients longitudinally and assessed their predictive value for recovery. Body weight, activity levels, and serum leptin levels were assessed in adolescents and adult AN patient groups at the start and during treatment, up to a year. In the adolescent group, initial leptin and activity levels were correlated. This negative correlation changes over time into a positive correlation with physiological recovery. Treatment outcome in both groups could be predicted by initial BMI and leptin levels but not by activity levels. No major relationship of activity with the course of recovery was detected, suggesting that in contrast to the acute stage of the disease, leptin and activity levels during the recovery process are dissociated. Content TypeJournal Article JournalJournal of Neural TransmissionOnline ISSN 1435-1463Print ISSN 0300-9564 (Source: Journal of Neural Transmission) - [Read more]

Abnormalities of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) have been found in individuals who are ill with anorexia (AN) or bulimia nervosa (BN). Little is known about whether rCBF normalizes after recovery from AN and BN.Eighteen control women (CW), 10 recovered restricting type AN, 8 recovered AN with a binging history, and 9 recovered BN participants without a history of AN were studied using positron emission tomography and [15O]water in order to assess rCBF.Partial volume corrected rCBF values in cortical and subcortical brain regions were similar between groups. Neither current body mass index nor age correlated with rCBF values.The results from this study indicate that rCBF normalizes with long-term recovery. Thus, altered rCBF is unlikely to confound functional imaging studies in AN or BN after recovery. © 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2007. (Source: International Journal of Eating Disorders) - [Read more]

This study experimentally examined the effects of viewing a pro-anorexia website.Following construction of a prototypic pro-anorexia website, 235 female undergraduates were randomly assigned to view either the pro-anorexia website or one of two comparison websites related to female fashion (using average-sized models) or home décor. Post-website affect, cognitions, and behavioral expectations were examined along with moderator effects.Study participants exposed to the pro-anorexia website had greater negative affect, lower social self-esteem, and lower appearance self-efficacy post-website than those who viewed a comparison website. Additionally, they perceived themselves as heavier, reported a greater likelihood of exercising and thinking about their weight in the near future, and engaged in more image comparison. Minimal support was found for moderator effects.Results provide an empirical basis for concern (expressed by clinicians, researchers, the media) that pro-anorexia websites are a troubling new form of thin-ideal exposure that warrants further examination. © 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Source: International Journal of Eating Disorders) - [Read more]

Page: 197DOI: 10.1097/YIC.0b013e328080ca31Authors: Brambilla, Francesca a h; Garcia, Cristina Segura b; Fassino, Secondo c; Daga, Giovanni Abbate c; Favaro, Angela d; Santonastaso, Paolo d; Ramaciotti, Carla e; Bondi, Emilia e; Mellado, Carmen a h; Borriello, Renata f; Monteleone, Palmiero g (Source: International Clinical Psychopharmacology) - [Read more]

A 23-year-old woman presented with a history of breathlessness, cough, night sweats, weakness, anorexia, weight loss for 1 month, and fever of 2 days?? duration. Applied radiology (Source: Medscape Radiology Headlines) - [Read more]

Purpose:  To examine the feasibility of concurrent use of full-dose gemcitabine (GEM) and radiotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer. Patient and Methods:  22 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer were subjected to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (GEM 1,000 mg/m2 weekly, three times during 4 weeks). They received limited-field irradiation by three-dimensional radiotherapy planning. Results:  Of the 22 patients, 16 (72%) completed the treatment (50 Gy irradiation and at least three times concurrent administration of 1 g/m2 GEM). One patient with unresectable tail cancer showed peritonitis carcinomatosa and both chemotherapy and radiotherapy had to be stopped. Dose reduction or omission of GEM was necessary in another four patients. In addition, radiotherapy was discontinued in one patient for fatigue. Grade 3 hematologic toxicity was detected in eight patients (36%), and grade 3 nonhematologic toxicity (anorexia) in one patient (5%). In total, the response rate amounted to 32% (seven partial responses), and the median survival time (MST) was 16 months. Among the twelve patients who received preoperative chemoradiotherapy, nine underwent surgery and showed a survival rate of 78% at 1 year. Another 13 patients without surgery showed 14 months of MST. No regional lymph node failure has appeared so far. Conclusion:  Limited-field radiotherapy enables the safe concurrent administration of 1,000 mg/m2 GEM. Content TypeJournal Article JournalStrahlentherapie und OnkologieOnline ISSN 1439-099XPrint ISSN 0179-7158 Journal VolumeVolume 183 Journal IssueVolume 183, Number 6 / June, 2007 (Source: Strahlentherapie und Onkologie) - [Read more]

Abstract  This study evaluated the antitumor effect and safety of S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine derivative, in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Chemo-naive patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and measurable metastatic lesions were enrolled. S-1 was administered orally twice daily after meals at a dose of 80, 100, or 120 mg/day for body surface areas (BSAs) of less than 1.25 m2, between 1.25 m2 and less than 1.5, or 1.5 m2 or greater, respectively, for 28 consecutive days, followed by a 14-day rest. Fifteen (37.5%) of 40 patients responded to treatment, including 1 complete response and 14 partial responses. The median time to progression and the overall survival time were 3.7 months (95% confidence interval, 2.2–5.6 months) and 9.2 months (95% confidence interval, 7.5–10.8 months), respectively. The major adverse events were anorexia, fatigue, hemoglobin reduction, nausea and pigmentation change, although most were tolerable and reversible. Although disseminated intravascular coagulation occurred in two patients, the condition resolved with anticoagulant therapy. S-1 is an effective and well-tolerated drug. The effectiveness of this drug should be confirmed in a phase III study. Content TypeJournal Article JournalCancer Chemotherapy and PharmacologyOnline ISSN 1432-0843Print ISSN 0344-5704 (Source: Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology) - [Read more]

Feeding is subjected to circadian regulation; therefore, changes in the components of the endogenous oscillator regulating circadian rhythms may be involved in disordered rhythmicity of eating behavior as it occurs in anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). We investigated whether the 3111T/C polymorphism of the CLOCK gene, which is part of the endogenous oscillator system, was associated to AN and/or BN. A total of 241 women, including 90 healthy controls, 60 patients with AN and 91 patients with BN, participated into the study. The frequencies of 3111T/C genotypes and alleles did not significantly differ among the groups. In both the AN and BN group, subjects carrying one copy of the C allele had a lifetime body weight significantly lower than those carrying the T/T genotype. These findings, although preliminary, suggest that the 3111T/C polymorphism of the CLOCK gene does not play a major role in the genetic vulnerability to AN and BN, but it seems to predispose eating disorders (EDs) patients to a more severe lifetime body weight loss. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. (Source: American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics) - [Read more]

To assess perfectionism dimensions in eating disorders in comparison with other psychiatric disorders and subjects from the general population.The Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS), the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI-2), and the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) were administered to a group of 108 female eating-disordered patients (75 anorexia nervosa and 33 bulimia nervosa), to a group of 86 female psychiatric patients with anxiety (N = 32), depressive (N = 38), or adaptive disorders (N = 16), and to 213 healthy female participants.Both bulimic and anorexic patients scored higher on Self-Oriented Perfectionism (p < 0.001) than the other two groups but not on Socially-Prescribed Perfectionism (p = 0.054). Among patients with eating disorder, 17.6% obtained a score two standard deviations higher than the mean in the healthy comparison group on self-oriented perfectionism; this percentage was significantly higher than in the other two groups. The percentage of eating disorder patients with high socially-prescribed perfectionism was similar to that found in other psychiatric disorders. Moreover, self-oriented perfectionism was a predictor of an eating disorder.Self-oriented perfectionism is more specific to eating disorders than to depressive or anxiety disorders. © 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Source: International Journal of Eating Disorders) - [Read more]