Short report
Endocrine and metabolic aspects of anorexia nervosa
J.J. van Egmond
Last years the hypothalamus has got more attention as possibly being the place of pathogenesis in the case of anorexia nervosa. In this article a review is given of recent research for disturbances in hypothalamic-pituitary- gonadal, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitarythyroid axes and dysregulations in the secretion of growth hormone, prolactin and ADH. It is concluded from this review that there is major evidence for disturbances in the secretion of LRF and FRF (gonadotropicreleasing-factors), TRM (TSH-releasing-factor) and GRF (growth-hormonereleasing-factor). There is also some evidence for dysregulation of CRF (ACTH-releasing-factor) and ADH-secretion.
It is argued that these disturbances cannot be explained sufficiently within a pathophysiologic paradigma. Chances on finding a pathogenic trigger within the framework of some psychosomatic paradigmata are discussed.