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The Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis and Eating Disorders

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Eating Disorders

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Abstract

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is the main component of the endogenous stress response system which regulates the bodily response to real or perceived environmental stressors threatening homeostasis. Several theoretical models have been developed to conceptualize the link between stress and eating behavior, so the HPA axis activity has been widely investigated in people with eating disorders.

In patients with eating disorders, both increased and decreased HPA axis activity has been reported. The contradictory findings can be due in part to the heterogeneity of methodologies used across studies. Reduced caloric intake and weight loss, as well as binge-purging behaviors, are associated with an increased activity of HPA axis. However, when considering the occurrence of early adverse experiences, which are associated with impairment of HPA axis functioning, the findings are less clear-cut. Thus, it is important to remember that the mechanisms connecting stress and eating disorders are complex and multi-layered. It is important to recognize the variables that can contribute to these results in order to build formulations and develop precise and targeted treatments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry ‘Scuola Medica Salernitana’, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy

    Giammarco Cascino & Palmiero Monteleone

  2. Department of Psychology, Kingston University London, London, UK

    Rayane Chami

Authors
  1. Giammarco Cascino
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  2. Rayane Chami
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  3. Palmiero Monteleone
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Palmiero Monteleone .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University College London, London, UK

    Paul Robinson

  2. School of Psychology, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Tracey Wade

  3. Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychosomatik, Uniklinik der RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

    Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann

  4. Department of Psychiatry-IDIBELL, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Fernando Fernandez-Aranda

  5. Dept of Psychological Med IoPPN, Kings College London, London, UK

    Janet Treasure

  6. School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Fargo, USA

    Steve Wonderlich

Section Editor information

  1. Section of Eating Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom

    Hubertus Himmerich

  2. University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy

    Palmiero Monteleone

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Cascino, G., Chami, R., Monteleone, P. (2023). The Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis and Eating Disorders. In: Robinson, P., Wade, T., Herpertz-Dahlmann, B., Fernandez-Aranda, F., Treasure, J., Wonderlich, S. (eds) Eating Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97416-9_47-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97416-9_47-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-97416-9

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