Anorexia Nervosa
Conditions
Keywords
Anorexia Nervosa, Eating Disorders, Hypothalamus, Neuroendocrinology
Brief summary
The goal of this observational study is to investigate cellular mechanisms of neuroendocrine and metabolic signaling in adult women with anorexia nervosa (AN) compared to healthy controls. The primary purpose is to understand how hypothalamic-like neurons derived from patient samples respond to metabolic hormones and regulate energy homeostasis. The main questions it aims to answer are: Do hypothalamic-like neurons derived from individuals with AN show altered responsiveness to key metabolic hormones compared to neurons derived from healthy controls? Are there differences in cellular metabolism, gene expression profiles, and neuronal activity that reflect disease-relevant neuroendocrine dysfunction? Researchers will compare patient-derived cellular models from individuals with AN to those generated from matched healthy control participants to determine whether differences in hormone responsiveness, metabolic function, and neuronal signaling can be identified. Participants will: Attend a single study visit at a recruiting clinical site Provide a small peripheral blood sample Undergo basic clinical assessment and anthropometric measurements Collected samples will be coded at the recruiting sites and transferred to a central research laboratory, where they will be used to generate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and differentiate them into hypothalamic-like neurons. All experimental analyses are conducted in vitro and do not involve any intervention or treatment administered to participants.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
Maria Miletta
Study design
Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Female participants aged 18-45 years (premenopausal) Diagnosis of severe and enduring anorexia nervosa (illness duration ≥7 years, with documented functional impairment and non-response to appropriate treatments) Current BMI ≤18.5 kg/m² or documented BMI ≤18.5 kg/m² within the past 12 months Ability to provide informed consent Sufficient proficiency in the study language (German) For healthy controls: Female participants aged 18-45 years BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m² No current or past diagnosis of eating disorders No major psychiatric disorder Ability to provide informed consent
Exclusion criteria
Pregnancy or breastfeeding Severe medical comorbidities affecting metabolic or central nervous system function (e.g., uncontrolled endocrine, hepatic, renal, or cardiovascular diseases) Current psychosis or acute suicidality Current serious non-suicidal self-injury Substance dependence Use of medications that substantially alter metabolic or endocrine function (including high-dose systemic corticosteroids, hormonal contraceptives, or psychotropic medications such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, or anxiolytics) Positive status for HIV, hepatitis B (HBV), or hepatitis C (HCV) Intellectual disability impairing the ability to provide informed consent Insufficient proficiency in the study language
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in NPY and α-MSH secretion after hormone exposure in patient-derived hypothalamic-like neurons | Baseline (0 minutes) and at predefined time points up to 24 hours after exposure | NPY and α-MSH levels will be measured in the culture medium of hypothalamic-like neurons derived from participants with anorexia nervosa and healthy controls. Results will be reported as concentrations in ng/mL and/or fold change from baseline after exposure to metabolic hormones. |
Countries
Switzerland
Contacts
CONTACTMaria Consolata Miletta, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORMaria Consolata Miletta, PhD
University of Zurich
Outcome results
None listed