Youl-Ri Kim1, Jeong-Hyun Kim, Chan-Hyung Kim, Jae Gook Shin, Janet Treasure. 1. Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; Institute of Eating Disorders and Mental Health, Inje University, Seoul, South Korea.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Oxytocin circuits are implicated in the regulation of appetite and weight. Variants in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene have been associated with bulimic behaviour. This study aimed to investigate the association between the OXTR gene and eating disorders. METHOD: We genotyped six single nucleotide polymorphisms, rs53576, rs237879, rs2228485, rs13316193, rs2254298 and rs1042778, located within the OXTR gene in Korean patients with eating disorders using the single-base extension method. We studied a total of 262 women, including 69 patients with anorexia nervosa, 90 patients with bulimia nervosa (BN), and 103 healthy women. RESULTS: We found a positive association between the G allele of OXTR rs53576 and BN. In the BN group, the G carriers showed a high score on the behavioural inhibition system. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the involvement of the oxytocinergic system in the mechanism that underlies BN.
OBJECTIVE: Oxytocin circuits are implicated in the regulation of appetite and weight. Variants in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene have been associated with bulimic behaviour. This study aimed to investigate the association between the OXTR gene and eating disorders. METHOD: We genotyped six single nucleotide polymorphisms, rs53576, rs237879, rs2228485, rs13316193, rs2254298 and rs1042778, located within the OXTR gene in Korean patients with eating disorders using the single-base extension method. We studied a total of 262 women, including 69 patients with anorexia nervosa, 90 patients with bulimia nervosa (BN), and 103 healthy women. RESULTS: We found a positive association between the G allele of OXTRrs53576 and BN. In the BN group, the G carriers showed a high score on the behavioural inhibition system. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the involvement of the oxytocinergic system in the mechanism that underlies BN.