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. 2012 Mar;45(2):263-71.
doi: 10.1002/eat.20937. Epub 2011 May 3.

Amphetamine induced dopamine release increases anxiety in individuals recovered from anorexia nervosa

Ursula F Bailer  1 , Rajesh Narendran, W Gordon Frankle, Michael L Himes, Vikas Duvvuri, Chester A Mathis, Walter H Kaye
Affiliations

Amphetamine induced dopamine release increases anxiety in individuals recovered from anorexia nervosa

Ursula F Bailer et al. Int J Eat Disord. 2012 Mar.

Abstract

Objective: Genetic, pharmacologic, and physiological data suggest that individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) have altered striatal dopamine (DA) function.

Method: We used an amphetamine challenge and positron emission tomography [(11) C]raclopride paradigm to explore DA striatal transmission in 10 recovered (REC) AN compared with 9 control women (CW).

Results: REC AN and CW were similar for baseline, postamphetamine [(11) C]raclopride binding potential (BP(ND) ) and change (Δ) in BP(ND) for all regions. In CW, ventral striatum Δ BP(ND) was associated with euphoria (r = -0.76; p = 0.03), which was not found for REC AN. Instead, REC AN showed a significant relationship between anxiety and Δ BP(ND) in the precommissural dorsal caudate (r = -0.62, p = 0.05).

Discussion: REC AN have a positive association between endogenous DA release and anxiety in the dorsal caudate. This finding could explain why food-related DA release produces anxiety in AN, whereas feeding is pleasurable in healthy participants.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Relationships between (left panel) change in [11C]raclopride binding potential (BPND) for CW in the ventral striatum (VST) and peak euphoria; and change in [11C]raclopride BPND for REC AN in the pre-commissural dorsal caudate (pre-DCA) and maximum change anxiety (change between baseline and peak) (right panel); VAS, visual analog scale
Figure 2
Figure 2
Participants assessed by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) self-report of anxiety (0 to 10) at baseline (0) before amphetamine administration, and then at 30 minutes after amphetamine; CW, control women; REC AN, individuals recovered from anorexia nervosa
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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