Neuropeptide Y and α-MSH Circadian Levels in Two Populations with Low Body Weight: Anorexia Nervosa and Constitutional Thinness

Abstract : Context Anorexia nervosa (AN) presents an adaptive appetite regulating profile including high levels of ghrelin and 26RFa (orexigenic) and low levels of leptin and PYY (anorexigenic). However , this adaptive mechanism is not effective in promoting food intake. The NPY/proopiome-lanocortin (POMC) system plays a crucial role in the regulation of feeding behavior as NPY is the most potent orexigenic neuropeptide identified so far and as the POMC-derived pep-tide α-MSH drastically reduces food intake, and this peptidergic system has not been thoroughly studied in AN. Objective The aim of the present study was thus to investigate whether a dysfunction of the NPY/ POMC occurs in two populations with low body weight, AN and constitutional thinness (CT). Design and Settings This was a cross-sectional study performed in an endocrinological unit and in an academic laboratory. Investigated Subjects Three groups of age-matched young women were studied: 23 with AN (AN), 22 CT and 14 normal weight controls.