Molecular bases of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder: shedding light on the darkness

Abstract

Eating-disorders (EDs) consequences to human health are devastating, involving social, mental, emotional, physical and life-threatening aspects, concluding on impairment and death in cases of extreme anorexia nervosa. It also implies that people suffering an ED need to find psychiatric and psychological help as soon as possible to achieve a fully physical and emotional recovery. Unfortunately, to date, there is a crucial lack of efficient clinical treatment to these disorders. In this review, we present an overview concerning the actual pharmacological and psychological treatments, the knowledge of cells, circuits, neuropeptides, neuromodulators and hormones in the human brain- and other organs- underlying these disorders, the studies in animal models and, finally, the genetic approaches devoted to face this challenge. We will also discuss the need for new perspectives, avenues and strategies to be developed in order to pave the way to novel and more efficient therapeutics.

Keywords:

• Eating disorders
• pharmacology
• neuromodulators
• genetic approaches

Acknowledgements

We appreciate the help of Dr. Cristina Martin-Higueras and laboratory members for their critical comments. This publication was supported by the Spanish National Programme for Research aimed at the Challenges of Society [DPI2015–66458-C2–2-R, MINECO] to AA and GC, an AIRC-iCARE Fellowship co-funded by European Community to LG and the CNRS, INRA, Burgundy Regional Council (PARI2012 and 2014) and University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté to CE.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This publication was supported by the Spanish National Programme for Research aimed at the Challenges of Society [DPI2015–66458-C2–2-R, MINECO] to AA and GC, an AIRC-iCARE Fellowship co-funded by European Community to LG and the CNRS, INRA, Burgundy Regional Council (PARI2012 and 2014) and University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté to CE.