Simple yet effective treatment for anorexia proposed as trials with mice declared a success

A report published yesterday in Science Translational Medicine shows that lab mice that were genetically engineered to secrete ACPB ate more and than their anorexic siblings that had an ACBP deficit. Discovered in 1983, ACBP is a protein that activates parts of the brain directly connected to one's appetite. Previous research on humans revealed that patients with severe anorexia have low ACBP levels and, after being treated for their affliction, the chances of relapse are considerably higher than in patients with average ACBP levels.

In addition to genetically tweaking mice, the aforementioned study also involved injecting regular mice with ACBP daily for a period of time. In this case, the effect was the same, and the animals gained weight and showed increased appetite. According to psychiatrist and neuroscientist Rachel Ross, "even if this protein isn’t the slam-dunk treatment for anorexia we definitely need, it does provide [evidence of] an important new connection" between the body and the brain. 

Affecting around 1 percent of women worldwide, anorexia nervosa is a disorder that also hits about 0.2 percent of men. This complex affliction can even lead to death in its most severe cases. It manifests itself as an intense fear of gaining weight alongside a distorted view of one's body and food intake, leading to a very restrictive and unhealthy diet. Anorexia is often combined with depression, anxiety, OCD, neuroticism, and even schizophrenia. Although considered a contemporary disease, anorexia has been around for centuries, as shown by Joan Jacobs Brumberg in his book Fasting Girls: The History of Anorexia Nervosa, which mentions cases from the 16th century.