Longitudinal study on novel neuropeptides phoenixin, spexin and kisspeptin in adolescent inpatients with anorexia nervosa – association with psychiatric symptoms

ABSTRACT

Objectives

It is hypothesized that novel neuropeptides such as phoenixin (PNX), spexin (SPX), and kisspeptin (KISS) are involved in the pathogenesis of eating disorders. The study presented here analyzed neuropeptide concentrations during the course of anorexia nervosa (AN) and aimed to correlate those values with anthropometric and psychometric measurements.

Methods

A longitudinal study was carried outin 30 AN adolescent patients and 15 age-matched healthy female controls. Selected neuroprotein serum levels were analyzed in malnourished patients (accAN) and following partial weight recovery (norAN), and these values were compared with the control group.

Results

In accAN patients, decreased serum PNX levels were detected while SPX serum concentrations were lower in the accAN and norAN patients. No differences were observed in KISS concentrations in all studied groups.

Conclusions

In malnourished adolescent inpatients with AN, serum PNX and SPX level were decreased. The partial weight recovery normalized PNX concentrations but failed to normalize SPX levels. Therefore these two neuropeptides might be crucial for the etiology and course of the AN. The KISS levels did not change in the course of AN. The PNX levels were associated with some symptoms of eating disorders which may indicate its potential contribution in the regulation of emotions and behaviors in AN.

KEYWORDS:

• Anorexia nervosa
• phoenixin
• spexin
• kisspeptin

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Artur Pałasz

Artur Pałasz, PhD, DSc, assistant professor at Department of Histology, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, currently his studies and teaching activity focuse on neuroscience and histology, with a special attention to regulatory neuropeptides in the hypothalamus, neuropsychopharmacology, adult neurogenesis and pathogenesis of eating disorders.

Marta Tyszkiewicz-Nwafor

Marta Tyszkiewicz-Nwafor, PhD, MD, clinical psychiatrist, assistant professor at Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland, her research activity focuses on child and adolescent psychiatry, pathogenesis of eating disorders.

Aleksandra Suszka-Świtek

Aleksandra Suszka-Świtek, PhD, assistant professor at Department of Histology, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, specialist in the field of neuroendocrinology and pharmacology.

Flora Bacopoulou

Flora Bacopoulou, PhD, MD, assistant professor at the Center for Adolescent Medicine and UNESCO Chair on Adolescent Health Care, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece, she is a specialist in the field of pediatric endocrinology and clinical medicine.

Monika Dmitrzak-Węglarz

Monika Dmitrzak-Węglarz, PhD, DSc, assistant professor at Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland, she is an expert in the psychiatric genetics and neurochemistry.

Agata Dutkiewicz

Agata Dutkiewicz, MSc, clinical psychologist working at Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland, she does research in psychology, nutrition and psychiatry.

Agnieszka Słopień

Agnieszka Słopień, PhD, DSc, MD, clinical psychiatrist, associate professor, Head of Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland, her research activity focuses on child and adolescent psychiatry.

Małgorzata Janas-Kozik

Małgorzata Janas-Kozik, PhD, DSc, MD, clinical psychiatrist, full professor, Head of Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland, a specialist in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry.

Krzysztof M. Wilczyński

Krzysztof M. Wilczyński, MD, clinical psychiatrist, research assistant at Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland, his research activity focuses on child and adolescent psychiatry.

Łukasz Filipczyk

Łukasz Filipczyk, PhD, research assistant at Department of Histology, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, his studies focuse on general histology and neuroendocrinology.

Katarzyna Bogus

Katarzyna Bogus, PhD, research assistant at Department of Histology, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, her area of expertise includes neuroscience, neurochemistry of brain steroids.

Ewa Rojczyk

Ewa Rojczyk, PhD, assistant professor at Department of Descriptive and Topographic Anatomy, School of Medicine with Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland, her studies focuse on neuronatomy and brain biochemistry.

Elżbieta Paszyńska

Elżbieta Paszyńska, PhD, associate professor at Department of Integrated Dentistry, Faculty of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland, she is a specialist in the clinical biochemistry.

Ryszard Wiaderkiewicz

Ryszard Wiaderkiewicz, PhD, DSc, full professor, Head of Department of Histology, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, specialist in the field of molecular biology, general biochemistry and genetics.