Reduced Plasma Orexin-A Concentrations are Associated with Cognitive Deficits in Anorexia Nervosa.

Francisco J Tinahones, Fernando Fernández-Aranda, José M Menchón, Amaia Rodríguez, Francisco J Ortega, Gema Frühbeck, Jose M Fernández-Real, Rafael de la Torre, Ana B Crujeiras, Cristina Botella, Rosa M Baños, Felipe F Casanueva, Trevor Steward, Lourdes Garrido-Sánchez, Jose C Fernández-García, Zaida Agüera, Susana Jiménez-Murcia, Sarah Sauchelli, Cristina Vintró-Alcaraz, Nadine Riesco, Isabel Sánchez, Roser Granero, Gemma Mestre-Bach

Journal: Scientific reports 2020;9(1):7910

PMID: 31133733

Free Full Text on Nature Publishing Group View on PubMed

Abstract

Orexins/hypocretins are neuropeptides implicated in numerous processes, including food intake and cognition. The role of these peptides in the psychopathology of anorexia nervosa (AN) remains poorly understood. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the associations between plasma orexin-A (OXA) concentrations and neuropsychological functioning in adult women with AN, and a matched control group. Fasting plasma OXA concentrations were taken in 51 females with AN and in 51 matched healthy controls. Set-shifting was assessed using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), whereas decision making was measured using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). The AN group exhibited lower plasma OXA levels than the HC group. Lower mean scores were obtained on the IGT in AN patients. WCST perseverative errors were significantly higher in the AN group compared to HC. In both the AN and HC group, OXA levels were negatively correlated with WCST non-perseverative errors. Reduced plasma OXA concentrations were found to be associated with set-shifting impairments in AN. Taking into consideration the function of orexins in promoting arousal and cognitive flexibility, future studies should explore whether orexin partly underpins the cognitive impairments found in AN.

Address: Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain.; Ciber Fisiopatologia Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto Salud Carlos III (Spain), Madrid, Spain.; Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.; Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.; Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, Hospital Clínico Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, Spain.; Molecular and Celular Endocrinology, Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria (IDIS), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago (CHUS) and Santiago de Compostela University (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.; Department of Psychological, Personality, Evaluation and Treatment of the University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.; Integrated Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neuroscience Research Program Organization IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.; Department of Health and Experimental Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.; Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Institut d'Investigació, Biomèdica de Girona (IdIBGi), Hospital Dr Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain.; Metabolic Research Laboratory, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, University of Navarra-IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain.; CIBER Salud Mental, Instituto Salud Carlos III (Spain), Madrid, Spain.; Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain. [email protected].; Ciber Fisiopatologia Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto Salud Carlos III (Spain), Madrid, Spain. [email protected].; Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. [email protected].

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44450-6

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MeSH Terms: Adult, Anorexia Nervosa, Case-Control Studies, Cognitive Dysfunction, Decision Making, Female, Humans, Orexins, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Young Adult