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Basal and exercise‐induced sympathetic nervous activity and lipolysis in adipose tissue of patients with anorexia nervosa
Author(s) -
Bartak V.,
Vybiral S.,
Papezova H.,
Dostalova I.,
Pacak K.,
Nedvidkova J.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2362.2004.01344.x
Subject(s) - lipolysis , microdialysis , medicine , endocrinology , adipose tissue , norepinephrine , catecholamine , sympathetic nervous system , basal (medicine) , anorexia nervosa , epinephrine , chemistry , dopamine , diabetes mellitus , blood pressure , psychiatry , eating disorders
Background The sympathetic nervous system plays an important role in the regulation of adipose tissue (AT) lipolysis, which is a key step in the metabolic processes leading to the decrease of fat mass. The present study was designed to determine in vivo basal and exercise‐stimulated lipolysis and concentrations of catecholamines, the major hormones controlling lipolysis, in subcutaneous abdominal AT in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), characterized by self‐induced starvation and excessive exercises resulting in severe malnutrition and fat store loss. The results of local catecholamines and glycerol levels were compared with those in plasma in both experimental groups. Material and methods An in vivo microdialysis technique was used for the assessment of norepinephrine, dihydroxyphenylalanine, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and glycerol concentrations in subcutaneous AT of 10 women with AN (body mass index: 15·57 ± 0·55 kg m −2 ) and 10 age‐matched controls (body mass index: 21·56 ± 0·41 kg m −2 ). Both the AN patients and the control subjects underwent a 1·5 W kg −1 exercise test. Results Basal AT norepinephrine concentrations were increased in the AN patients in comparison with the controls. Basal AT glycerol concentrations were similar in both groups. During exercise, a local increase in the AT norepinephrine and glycerol concentrations was observed in the AN patients only. In contrast to the controls, the basal AT dihydroxyphenylalanine and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid levels in the AN patients were high and remained unchanged during exercise. Basal and exercise‐stimulated plasma norepinephrine, dihydroxyphenylalanine, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and glycerol levels were not different in the AN patients and healthy controls. Conclusion Our study provides evidence of elevated baseline and exercise‐induced sympathetic nervous activity and exercise‐induced lipolysis in abdominal AT of AN patients.