Contrary to common belief, anorexia nervosa is not just a desire to be skinny. Rather, it is a complicated mental illness that alters the brain's control over hunger and self-perception of one's body. Individuals with anorexia nervosa experience a transformation in their brain's reward mechanism,
Using DNA technology and advanced bioinformatics analyses, the researchers identified distinct and marked changes in composition and function of the intestines’ trillions of bacteria and viruses in cases with anorexia nervosa. Credit: Søren Vestergaard/University of Copenhagen
Individuals with anorexia nervosa experience a transformation in their brain’s reward mechanism, making weight loss their primary focus. This results in drastic behavioral changes, including a drastic reduction in caloric intake. Approximately 1% of young people develop anorexia nervosa, and for about one in five, it becomes a chronic and potentially fatal condition.
To demonstrate this, the researchers transplanted stools from anorexia cases and healthy individuals, respectively, to bacteria-free mice, explains Professor and Principal Investigator Oluf Borbye Pedersen from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research at the“The mice receiving stools from individuals with anorexia nervosa had trouble gaining weight, and analyses of gene activities in certain parts of their brain revealed changes in various genes regulating appetite.
“We also discovered that specific gut bacteria in women with anorexia nervosa produce less vitamin B1. Deficiency of B1 may lead to loss of appetite, various intestinal symptoms, anxiety, and isolating social behavior,” says Assistant Professor Yong Fan from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, a leading young researcher of the study.particles able to decompose lactic-producing bacteria in the intestines.
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