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Medication for Binge Eating

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Binge Eating

Abstract

This chapter reviews the use of medications in the treatment of individuals with bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge-eating disorder (BED), the two mental disorders defined by the presence of binge eating. Drug classes evaluated include antidepressants, stimulants, and other medications for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), antiepileptic drugs, opioid antagonists, and weight loss agents, among others. The only two drugs with regulatory approval for binge eating are fluoxetine for BN and lisdexamfetamine for BED. Other available drugs with established efficacy in BN and BED include antidepressants (especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and the antiepileptic topiramate, though the efficacy of these compounds is modest at best. We found no evidence of a drug developed specifically for the treatment of individuals with BN or BED. Importantly, until drugs are developed specifically for eating disorders with binge eating, drugs developed for other conditions that are centrally acting and associated with beneficial psychotropic effects or reduced appetite or weight loss might be considered for repurposing in BN and BED.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lindner Center of HOPE, Mason, OH, USA

    Susan L. McElroy, Anna I. Guerdjikova, Nicole Mori & Francisco Romo-Nava

  2. University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Susan L. McElroy, Anna I. Guerdjikova & Francisco Romo-Nava

Authors
  1. Susan L. McElroy
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  2. Anna I. Guerdjikova
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  3. Nicole Mori
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  4. Francisco Romo-Nava
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Correspondence to Susan L. McElroy .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, UCSD Eating Disorder Center for Treatment and Research, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA

    Guido K.W. Frank

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Center of Excellence in Eating and Weight Disorders, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    Laura A. Berner

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Conflicts of Interest

SLM is a consultant to or member of the scientific advisory boards of Allergan, Avanir, Bracket, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Idorsia, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Myriad, Opiant, Shire, and Sunovion. She is a principal or co-investigator on studies sponsored by the Allergan, Avanir, Brainsway, Marriott Foundation, Myriad, Neurocrine, Novo Nordisk, Shire, and Sunovion. She is also an inventor on the United States Patent No. 6,323,236 B2, Use of Sulfamate Derivatives for Treating Impulse Control Disorders, and along with the patent’s assignee, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, has received payments from Johnson & Johnson in the past, which has exclusive rights under the patent.

AIG, NM, and FR-N declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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McElroy, S.L., Guerdjikova, A.I., Mori, N., Romo-Nava, F. (2020). Medication for Binge Eating. In: Frank, G., Berner, L. (eds) Binge Eating. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43562-2_16

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