This section contains 642 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) |
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Eating disorders, one of the most difficult mental illnesses to diagnose and cure, are divided into three categories: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating. Frequently, sufferers flatly deny they have a problem, and treatment by doctors and psychiatrists produces little success. There appears to be a connection between anorexia and bulimia, and affective disorders (depression). Thus, antidepressants are often used in treating eating disorders. In February 1998, researchers identified a pair of hormones which influence eating habits in rats. These hormones--orexin A and orexin B, bind to two receptors in the lateral hypothalamus, the region of the brain believed to regulate appetite. Whether these hormones produce a similar activity in humans is yet unknown; however, researchers appear optimistic that the development of drugs imitating these hormones may aid in the treatment of eating disorders by stimulating or depressing appetite.
The psychological driving force behind anorexia...
This section contains 642 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) |
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