Neurobiology of Feeding and other Behaviors in Eating Disorder

Several lines of evidence suggest that individuals with bulimia nervosa (BN) and anorexia nervosa (AN) have persistent disturbances of brain serotonin (5HT) neurotransmission after recovery. Recent family, twin, and physiologic studies show that AN and BN are cross transmitted in families, are highly heritable, and share common etiologic vulnerabilities such as restrictive eating, obsessive perfectionism, anxiety, and harm avoidance that could be related to a common 5HT alteration. In contrast, other factors distinguish subgroups; behavioral over-control and restricted eating occur in AN whereas alterations between over- and under-control as well as restricted and binge eating occur in BN. This competing renewal will apply new technologies with the potential for increased understanding of previously inaccessible brain neurotransmitter function and its dynamic relationship with human behaviors. We will use Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging with selective radioligands to assess regional binding and specificity of 5HT and dopamine (DA) neurotransmission and their relationship to common and subtype symptoms. This application will study women ages 18 to 45 years old who are: 1) recovered from bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, bulimic type, or anorexia nervosa (recovery is defined as>1 year normal menses, no bingeing and purging, and healthy and stable weight); 2) ill women with bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, bulimic type or anorexia nervosa; 3) healthy control women (CW) These data may be of heuristic value in devising new treatment interventions for this often chronic and deadly disorder.