Involvement of serotonin system in bulimia

doi:10.1016/0024-3205(88)90362-1

Life Sciences

Volume 43, Issue 25, 1988, Pages 2123-2126

https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(88)90362-1 Get rights and content

Abstract

Platelet 3H-imipramine binding was investigated in 8 patients affected by bulimia according to DSM III criteria, and in 7 healthy volunteers. The Bmax ± SD (fmol/mg protein) was 356 ± 53 in patients, and 1144 ± 134 in controls. The Kd ± SD (nM) was 1.35 ± 0.44 in patients, and 1.90 ± 0.72 in controls. There was a significant difference (p<0.0001) in Bmax values in the two groups, whereas no significant difference was observed in Kd values. This study suggests the possible involvement of the indoleamine system in bulimia.

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Impaired serotonin transmission has been suggested to be implicated in the pathophysiology of bulimia nervosa. As an indirect measure of brain serotonergic activity, the binding of tritiated ligands to platelet serotonin transporters has been studied in bulimia nervosa as well as in other putatively serotonin-related psychiatric disorders. In this study, the density and affinity of platelet serotonin transporters were assessed in 20 women meeting the DSM-IV criteria for bulimia nervosa and in 14 controls without previous or ongoing eating disorder using [³H]paroxetine as a ligand. In comparison to controls, women with bulimia nervosa had a significantly reduced number of platelet binding sites (B_max = 721 ± 313 vs. 1145 ± 293 fmol/mg protein) and an increase in the affinity for the ligand demonstrated by a lower dissociaton constant (K_d = 33 ± 10 vs. 44 ± 10 pM). A significant correlation between B_max and K_d values was found in patients but not in controls. Our results support the notion that bulimia nervosa is associated with a reduction in platelet serotonin transporter density. In addition, our study is the first to report that this reduced transporter density in women with bulimia nervosa is accompanied by an increase in the affinity of the transporter for the ligand.
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Serotonergic activity measured by platelet [<sup>3</sup>H]paroxetine binding in patients with eating disorders
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Studies have linked bulimia nervosa (BN) to alterations in brain serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine: 5-HT) activity and to heightened propensity for parasuicidality and self-injuriousness. The coincidence of self-destructiveness and 5-HT abnormality in BN is of interest, given documentation (in various populations) of an inverse association between 5-HT activity and potential for self-harm. The present study examined the connection between 5-HT status and self-destructiveness in BN. Structured interviews and self-report questionnaires were used to assess 40 bulimic and 21 normal-eater women for: (a) history of parasuicidal or self-injurious acts; and (b) mood and impulse-regulation problems. We then applied tests, presumed to reflect 5-HT function, of serial prolactin (PRL) and cortisol (CORT) responses after oral administration of the partial 5-HT agonist, meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP). Relative to non-bulimic women, bulimic women (on average) showed blunting of PRL and CORT following m-CPP. The blunting of neuroendocrine responses was, however, most remarkable in bulimic women with a history of self-destructiveness. These findings suggest that some serotonergic anomalies reported in BN sufferers (i.e. reduced neuroendocrine response after m-CPP) may be most characteristic of individuals in the population showing clear-cut self-destructive potential.
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Involvement of serotonin system in bulimia

Abstract

Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol.

Life Sci.

Neuropharmacology

J. Biol. Chem.

Psychiatry Res.

J. Affect. Dis.

Brain Res.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Am. J. Psychiatry

Psychol. Med.

Psychol. Med.

Arch. Gen. Psychiatry

Arch. Gen. Psychiatry

Brit. J. Psychiatry

Psychopharmacol. Bull.

Eur. J. Pharmacol.