Leptin functioning in eating disorders.

Leptin is an adipocyte-derived hormone, which is involved predominantly in the long-term regulation of body weight and energy balance by acting as a hunger suppressant signal to the brain. Leptin is also involved in the modulation of reproduction, immune function, physical activity, and some endogenous endocrine axes. Since anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are characterized by abnormal eating behaviors, dysregulation of endogenous endocrine axes, alterations of reproductive and immune functions, and increased physical activity, extensive research has been carried out in the last decade in order to ascertain a role of this hormone in the pathophysiology of these syndromes. In this article, we review the available data on leptin physiology in patients with eating disorders. These data support the idea that leptin is not directly involved in the etiology of AN or BN. However, malnutrition-induced alterations in its physiology may contribute to the genesis and/or the maintenance of some clinical manifestations of AN and BN and may have an impact on the prognosis of AN.