Linda Frintrop1, Stefanie Trinh2, Johanna Liesbrock3, Lisa Paulukat4, Martien J Kas5, Rene Tolba6, Kerstin Konrad7, Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann8, Cordian Beyer9, Jochen Seitz10. 1. Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: lfrintrop@ukaachen.de. 2. Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: ntrinh@ukaachen.de. 3. Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH University, Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: johanna.liesbrock@rwth-aachen.de. 4. Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH University, Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: lisa.baumann@rwth-aachen.de. 5. Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: m.j.h.kas@umcutrecht.nl. 6. Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, University Hospital Aachen, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: rtolba@ukaachen.de. 7. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH University, Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: kkonrad@ukaachen.de. 8. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH University, Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: bherpertz@ukaachen.de. 9. Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: cbeyer@ukaachen.de. 10. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH University, Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: jseitz@ukaachen.de.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is often a chronic eating disorder characterised by body image disturbance and low body weight often associated with starvation-induced amenorrhoea and excessive exercise. Activity-based anorexia (ABA) is an animal model representing many somatic aspects of this psychiatric illness. We systematically manipulated the extent and length of starvation and animal age to find the optimal parameters to study chronic starvation. NEW METHODS: Wistar rats had 24h/day running wheel access and received 40% of their baseline food intake until a 20% or 25% weight reduction was reached (acute starvation). This body weight was then maintained for two weeks (chronic starvation). The rats of different ages of 4 or 8 weeks were used to represent early and late adolescent animals, respectively. The complete absence of a menstrual cycle was defined as the primary outcome parameter. RESULTS: Acute starvation caused a disruption of the oestrous cycle in 58% of the animals. During chronic starvation, a complete loss of the oestrous cycle could be found. Furthermore, 4-week-old rats exhibited higher levels of hyperactivity and amenorrhoea than 8-week-old animals. A 20% starvation level led to 90% loss of cycle, while a 25% starvation level triggered complete loss. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: Most current ABA models focus on acute starvation, while most patients are chronically ill. CONCLUSIONS: The optimal parameters to achieve complete amenorrhoea included early adolescence, chronic starvation and 25% weight loss. The new ABA model allows studying the effects of chronic AN on underlying behavioural, hormonal and brain pathobiology.
BACKGROUND: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is often a chronic eating disorder characterised by body image disturbance and low body weight often associated with starvation-induced amenorrhoea and excessive exercise. Activity-based anorexia (ABA) is an animal model representing many somatic aspects of this psychiatric illness. We systematically manipulated the extent and length of starvation and animal age to find the optimal parameters to study chronic starvation. NEW METHODS: Wistar rats had 24h/day running wheel access and received 40% of their baseline food intake until a 20% or 25% weight reduction was reached (acute starvation). This body weight was then maintained for two weeks (chronic starvation). The rats of different ages of 4 or 8 weeks were used to represent early and late adolescent animals, respectively. The complete absence of a menstrual cycle was defined as the primary outcome parameter. RESULTS: Acute starvation caused a disruption of the oestrous cycle in 58% of the animals. During chronic starvation, a complete loss of the oestrous cycle could be found. Furthermore, 4-week-old rats exhibited higher levels of hyperactivity and amenorrhoea than 8-week-old animals. A 20% starvation level led to 90% loss of cycle, while a 25% starvation level triggered complete loss. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: Most current ABA models focus on acute starvation, while most patients are chronically ill. CONCLUSIONS: The optimal parameters to achieve complete amenorrhoea included early adolescence, chronic starvation and 25% weight loss. The new ABA model allows studying the effects of chronic AN on underlying behavioural, hormonal and brain pathobiology.
Authors: T Lee Gilman; W Anthony Owens; Christina M George; Lauren Metzel; Melissa Vitela; Livia Ferreira; Melodi A Bowman; Georgianna G Gould; Glenn M Toney; Lynette C Daws Journal: J Pharmacol Exp Ther Date: 2019-09-03 Impact factor: 4.030
Authors: Eva-Maria Gröbner; Michael Zeiler; Florian Ph S Fischmeister; Kathrin Kollndorfer; Sonja Schmelz; Andrea Schneider; Nina Haid-Stecher; Kathrin Sevecke; Gudrun Wagner; Lara Keller; Roger Adan; Unna Danner; Annemarie van Elburg; Benny van der Vijgh; Karlijn Liselotte Kooij; Serguei Fetissov; Nadia A Andreani; John F Baines; Astrid Dempfle; Jochen Seitz; Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann; Andreas Karwautz Journal: Eur Eat Disord Rev Date: 2021-11-30