摂食障害の臨床知見を考慮した動物モデル研究(シンポジウム:摂食障害研究の最前線,2008年,第49回日本心身医学会総会(札幌))  [in Japanese] Animal Research of Eating Disorders based on the Clinical Aspects(Symposium/The Forefront of Eating Disorder Research)  [in Japanese]

神経性食欲不振症や過食症などの摂食障害患者は若い女性を中心に増加している.心理的要因,生物学的要因,社会文化的要因などが複雑に相互に絡み合って生じると推測されるが病因は明らかではなく,治療法も確立されていない.このような状況で,動物モデルを用いて摂食行動異常の脳内機序の解明が進められている.近年は臨床的知見を考慮し,思春期の雌ラットで摂餌を制限してダイエット類似状態をつくり出したうえで,心理的・身体的ストレスを加えることによる摂餌行動の変化と脳内神経伝達物質との関連などが検討されるようになった.そこから摂食障害の拒食や過食,不安症状などにおける多くの神経伝達物質の異常が推定されている.これら知見を総合的に解釈していくことは摂食障害の生物学的基盤の解明と,合理的で有効性の高い予防法および治療法の確立に結びつくものと考える.

The patients of eating disorders like anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa are increasing in number especially among young female. However, the pathology of eating disorders has not been clarified because so many factors as socio-cultural factors, psychological factors, and biological factors are indicated to be concerned. In addition, the methods of treatment have not been established yet. To investigate the biological brain mechanisms of eating disorders, many types of animal models have been proposed. According to the clinical feature of the patients, anorexic status in adolescent female rats was set by food restriction. Psychological and physiological stress changed the feeding behavior in the anorexic status, and the relations of the behavioral changes and the brain neurotransmitters were examined. Those results suggested that abnormalities in many brain neurotransmitters are concerned in anorexic behavior, binge-eating behavior, and anxiety. We can speculate some part of biological bases of human eating disorders, and effective prevention and treatment through such animal models.