BACKGROUND: Eating-disorder patients exhibit not only abnormal eating attitudes but also pathologic anxiety-like behaviors. The specific nature of the relationship between dieting and anxiety-like behavior is unknown. METHODS: To investigate the adaptational changes that resulted from chronic restricted scheduled feeding (2-hour access per day for 2 weeks) and subsequent free refeeding, longitudinal changes in the microstructure of feeding behavior were studied in male rats. To study the relationship between restricted feeding and anxiety-like behavior, separate rats were tested in the elevated plus-maze under the following conditions: 1) free feeding; 2) acute food restriction (2-hour access for 1 day); 3) chronic food restriction (for 10 days); or 4) postrecovery (after 10 days of free feeding subsequent to chronic food restriction). RESULTS: The effects of chronic food restriction on meal structure diminished within a few days after refeeding. Decreased anxiety-like behavior was seen during acute and chronic food restriction and did not reflect nonspecific behavioral activation. Anxiolytic-like effects persisted after 10 days of refeeding. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic food restriction produced reductions in anxiety-like behavior that persisted beyond the normalization of food intake patterns. The findings might have etiologic and pathophysiologic relevance for the restrained eating pattern in eating-disorder patients with comorbid anxious symptoms.
BACKGROUND:Eating-disorderpatients exhibit not only abnormal eating attitudes but also pathologic anxiety-like behaviors. The specific nature of the relationship between dieting and anxiety-like behavior is unknown. METHODS: To investigate the adaptational changes that resulted from chronic restricted scheduled feeding (2-hour access per day for 2 weeks) and subsequent free refeeding, longitudinal changes in the microstructure of feeding behavior were studied in male rats. To study the relationship between restricted feeding and anxiety-like behavior, separate rats were tested in the elevated plus-maze under the following conditions: 1) free feeding; 2) acute food restriction (2-hour access for 1 day); 3) chronic food restriction (for 10 days); or 4) postrecovery (after 10 days of free feeding subsequent to chronic food restriction). RESULTS: The effects of chronic food restriction on meal structure diminished within a few days after refeeding. Decreased anxiety-like behavior was seen during acute and chronic food restriction and did not reflect nonspecific behavioral activation. Anxiolytic-like effects persisted after 10 days of refeeding. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic food restriction produced reductions in anxiety-like behavior that persisted beyond the normalization of food intake patterns. The findings might have etiologic and pathophysiologic relevance for the restrained eating pattern in eating-disorderpatients with comorbid anxious symptoms.
Authors: Auriel A Willette; Christopher L Coe; Ricki J Colman; Barbara B Bendlin; Erik K Kastman; Aaron S Field; Andrew L Alexander; David B Allison; Richard H Weindruch; Sterling C Johnson Journal: Psychoneuroendocrinology Date: 2011-11-25 Impact factor: 4.905
Authors: Theodore Garland; Heidi Schutz; Mark A Chappell; Brooke K Keeney; Thomas H Meek; Lynn E Copes; Wendy Acosta; Clemens Drenowatz; Robert C Maciel; Gertjan van Dijk; Catherine M Kotz; Joey C Eisenmann Journal: J Exp Biol Date: 2011-01-15 Impact factor: 3.312