New Research Points Towards Potential Treatment for Anorexia
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, July 11, 2024 -- Anorexia nervosa could be caused by lack of a specific brain chemical, reports a research team that has developed a possible cure for the eating disorder.
Mouse studies have revealed that a deficit in acetycholine, a neurotransmitter associated with the brain’s reward system, could be linked to excessive habit formation.
This deficit could be behind the compulsive self-starvation seen in people with anorexia, researchers argue in the July 7 issue of the journal Nature Communications.
The Alzheimer's drug donepezil, which increases acetylcholine, “fully reversed the anorexia-like behaviour in mice, and we believe that it could potentially offer the first mechanism-based treatment of anorexia nervosa,” said senior researcher Dr. Salah El Mestikawy, professor of psychiatry with McGill University’s Douglas Research Center in Montreal.
“In fact, we are already seeing its effects on some patients with the disease,” El Mestikawy added in a McGill news release.
Positive results have already been seen in 10 patients with severe anorexia who are being treated with low doses of donepezil, researchers said.
Three patients are in full remission from anorexia, and the other seven have shown marked improvements, results show.
Full-fledged clinical trials comparing donepezil against placebo in treating anorexia are set to start later this year at three major hospitals in the United States and France, researchers said.
However, El Mestikawy cautioned that it could take several years before a new drug targeting anorexia receives government approval and becomes available to patients.
Donazepil causes many gastrointestinal and muscle side effects, El Mestikawy said. Researchers are working to develop a new drug that boosts acetylcholine with fewer problems.
“We also suspect that other compulsive pathologies such as obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) and addictions can also be improved by donepezil, so we are actively looking for collaboration with other psychiatrist around the world to explore the possibilities,” El Mestikawy added.
Sources
- McGill University, news release, July 7, 2024
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted July 2024
Read this next
Heavy Weed Use Increases Risk Of Dementia
WEDNESDAY, April 16, 2025 -- Middle-aged folks and seniors whose weed use lands them in the hospital are at higher risk for developing dementia within a matter of years, a new...
Everyday Digital Tech Is Protecting Seniors' Brain Health, Study Says
TUESDAY, April 15, 2025 -- It’s a common notion that overuse of smartphones, tablets, laptops and other digital devices is rotting people’s minds. But the opposite...
Two Deaths in Oregon County Linked to Fatal Brain Disorder
MONDAY, April 14, 2025 — Health officials in Hood River County, Oregon, are investigating three cases of a rare and fatal brain disease known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.