New research sheds further light on the role of brain chemistry in anorexia nervosa, indicating that disturbances in the way the brain uses serotonin may persist long after recovery from one type of anorexia.
Increased chemical activity in a part of the brain involved in reward and reinforcement may help shed light on the question of why anorexia sufferers feel driven to lose weight but don’t get any pleasure from it. New research with anorexia sufferers using brain-imaging technology found overactivity of dopamine receptors in a part of the brain known as the basal ganglia. Around 1 percent of women in the US suffer from anorexia, a disorder that can also affect men.
How adolescents perceive their body weight turns out to be a more important risk factor for suicide than actual body weight.
Informal research reveals a growing quantity of material that is ‘pro anorexia’ on Xanga, on other community portals and discussion forums, and across the web. A significant group of people would specifically like to learn how to be anorexic. This article explores the pro anorexia phenomenon from a therapeutic perspective, emphasizing fundamental respect for the individual and his or her choices. (Originally published October 2004.)
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