Abstract |
Anorexia nervosa is a clinically significant illness that may be associated with permanent medical complications involving almost every organ system. The paper raises a question whether some of them are associated with premorbid vulnerability such as subcellular ion channel abnormalities (' channelopathy') that determines the clinical expression of the bodily response to self-imposed malnutrition. Aberrant channels emerge as a tempting, if rather speculative alternative to the notion of cognitively-driven neurotransmitter modulation deficit in anorexia nervosa. The concept of channelopathies is in keeping with some characteristics of anorexia nervosa, such as a genetically-based predisposition to hypophagia, early onset, cardiac abnormalities, an appetite-enhancing efficacy of some antiepileptic drugs, and others. The purpose of this article is to stimulate further basic research of ion channel biophysics in relation to restrictive anorexia.
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Authors | Michael Myslobodsky |
Journal | Annals of general psychiatry
(Ann Gen Psychiatry)
Vol. 4
Pg. 15
(Sep 06 2005)
ISSN: 1744-859X [Electronic] England |
PMID | 16144551
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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