Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street BUL457, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2018 Sep 4;20(10):91. doi: 10.1007/s11920-018-0957-0.
The neurohormone oxytocin (OXT) impacts food intake as well as cognitive, emotional, and social functioning-all of which are central to eating disorder (ED) pathology across the weight spectrum. Here, we review findings on endogenous OXT levels and their relationship to ED pathology, the impact of exogenous OXT on mechanisms that drive ED presentation and chronicity, and the potential role of genetic predispositions in the OXT-ED link.
Current findings suggest a role of the OXT system in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa. In individuals with bulimia nervosa, endogenous OXT levels were comparable to those of healthy controls, and exogenous OXT reduced food intake. Studies in other ED are lacking. However, genetic studies suggest a broad role of the OXT system in influencing ED pathology. Highlighting findings on why OXT represents a potential biomarker of and treatment target for ED, we advocate for a systematic research approach spanning the entire ED spectrum.
神经激素催产素（OXT）影响食物摄入以及认知、情绪和社交功能，所有这些都是贯穿整个体重谱的饮食失调（ED）病理的核心。在这里，我们回顾了内源性 OXT 水平及其与 ED 病理的关系、外源性 OXT 对驱动 ED 表现和持续性的机制的影响，以及遗传易感性在 OXT-ED 联系中的潜在作用。
目前的研究结果表明，OXT 系统在神经性厌食症的病理生理学中发挥作用。在神经性贪食症患者中，内源性 OXT 水平与健康对照组相当，外源性 OXT 可减少食物摄入。其他 ED 的研究则缺乏。然而，遗传研究表明 OXT 系统在影响 ED 病理方面具有广泛的作用。鉴于 OXT 是 ED 的潜在生物标志物和治疗靶点的研究结果，我们主张采用系统的研究方法来涵盖整个 ED 谱。
