Beyond Serotonin in Anorexia Nervosa: An Imaging Study

Most attention on possible catecholamine abnormalities in anorexia nervosa has focused on serotonergic systems. Clinical observations in patients with anorexia nervosa, including ascetic behaviors that extend well beyond self-denial of food, suggest altered hedonic mechanisms, possibly involving dopaminergic reward systems. Previous research in these patients has shown increased binding of dopamine D₂/D₃ receptors in the anteroventral striatum, a region involved in optimal response to rewarding stimuli. These investigators used functional MRIs to study reward response in 13 recovering anorexia nervosa patients and in 13 healthy control women. For at least a year, patients had recovery of weight; regular menstruation; and no binging, purging…