Blood levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide are increased in anorexia nervosa and in binge-eating disorder, but not in bulimia nervosa
Neuropsychopharmacol. 2005-04-20; 30(6): 1216-1221
DOI: 10.1038/sj.npp.1300695
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1. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2005 Jun;30(6):1216-21. doi: 10.1038/sj.npp.1300695.
Blood levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide are increased in anorexia nervosa
and in binge-eating disorder, but not in bulimia nervosa.
Monteleone P(1), Matias I, Martiadis V, De Petrocellis L, Maj M, Di Marzo V.
Author information:
(1)Department of Psychiatry, University of Naples SUN, Naples, Italy.
The endocannabinoid system, consisting of two cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and
CB2) and the endogenous ligands anandamide (arachidonoylethanolamide (AEA)) and
2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), has been shown to control food intake in both
animals and humans, modulating either rewarding or quantitative aspects of the
eating behavior. Moreover, hypothalamic endocannabinoids seem to be part of
neural circuitry involved in the modulating effects of leptin on energy
homeostasis. Therefore, alterations of the endocannabinoid system could be
involved in the pathophysiology of eating disorders, where a deranged leptin
signalling has been also reported. In order to verify this hypothesis, we
measured plasma levels of AEA, 2-AG, and leptin in 15 women with anorexia
nervosa (AN), 12 women with bulimia nervosa (BN), 11 women with binge-eating
disorder (BED), and 15 healthy women. Plasma levels of AEA resulted
significantly enhanced in both anorexic and BED women, but not in bulimic
patients. No significant change occurred in the plasma levels of 2-AG in all the
patients’ groups. Moreover, circulating AEA levels were significantly and
inversely correlated with plasma leptin concentrations in both healthy controls
and anorexic women. These findings show for the first time a derangement in the
production of the endogenous cannabinoid AEA in drug-free symptomatic women with
AN or with BED. Although the pathophysiological significance of this alteration
awaits further studies to be clarified, it suggests a possible involvement of
AEA in the mediation of the rewarding aspects of the aberrant eating behaviors
occurring in AN and BED.
DOI: 10.1038/sj.npp.1300695
PMID: 15841111 [Indexed for MEDLINE]