Neurobiology of anorexia nervosa: clinical implications of alterations of the function of serotonin and other neuronal systems

Abstract

Recent evidence suggests that genetic and neurobiologically mediated mechanisms contribute to the etiology of anorexia nervosa (AN). Serotonin neuronal systems, in particular, may create vulnerabilities related to pathological feeding, anxiety and obsessions, and extremes of impulse control, that make individuals susceptible to developing an eating disorder, perhaps in combination with environmental stressors.