Investigation of peptide YY and ghrelin responses to a test meal in bulimia nervosa.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Gut-derived peptides, such as peptide YY (PYY) and ghrelin that regulate the initiation and termination of meals, could play a role in the altered eating behavior of patients with bulimia nervosa (BN). Therefore, we aimed to assess plasma PYY and ghrelin responses to a test meal in symptomatic bulimics.

METHODS:

Ten healthy women and nine women with BN underwent blood sample collections before and after the ingestion of a test meal of 1300 Kcal (with 15% carbohydrates, 10% proteins, and 75% fat) at 12:00 noon. Plasma total PYY, ghrelin, insulin, and glucose were assayed.

RESULTS:

As compared with healthy women, bulimics exhibited a significantly blunted increase of circulating PYY (p < .007) and a significantly reduced suppression of plasma ghrelin (p < .0004) after the test meal. No significant differences emerged in food-induced plasma insulin and glucose changes between the two groups. Plasma ghrelin suppression after the meal was significantly correlated with plasma PYY increase.

CONCLUSIONS:

We replicated our previous findings of an altered ghrelin response to food ingestion in people with BN and showed for the first time a blunted PYY increase after food consumption in these patients. These findings support the occurrence in BN of a profound dysregulation of some peripheral regulatory mechanisms involved in the short-term regulation of feeding behavior that might be involved in the pathophysiology of their binge eating behavior.

• Authors: Palmiero Monteleone, Vassilis Martiadis, Antonello E Rigamonti, Michele Fabrazzo, Claudio Giordani, Eugenio E Muller, Mario Maj
• Journal: Biological psychiatry (Biol Psychiatry) Vol. 57 Issue 8 Pg. 926-31 (Apr 15 2005) ISSN: 0006-3223 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15820714 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Blood Glucose
• Dietary Fats
• Ghrelin
• Insulin
• Peptide Hormones
• Peptide YY

Topics

• Adult
• Blood Glucose (metabolism)
• Body Composition
• Body Mass Index
• Bulimia (metabolism)
• Dietary Fats (pharmacology)
• Eating (physiology)
• Female
• Ghrelin
• Humans
• Insulin (blood)
• Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
• Peptide Hormones (metabolism)
• Peptide YY (metabolism)