Perception of hunger to insulin-induced hypoglycemia in anorexia nervosa

Objective: We studied the effect of insulin-induced hypoglycemia on changes of hunger ratings in anorectic patients before and after cognitive-behavioral therapy. Method: The subjects were 17 females with restricting anorexia nervosa at low body weight (AN-R), 6 anorectic patients whose weight was restored after cognitive-behavioral therapy (AN-T), and 11 age-matched female controls. All subjects gave hunger ratings by linear visual analog technique before and after insulin or saline injection. Results: Hunger ratings increased significantly 45 min after insulin injection in control females. However, ratings paradoxically decreased after insulin injection in AN-R females. They increased slightly after insulin injection in AN-T females, but the difference was not statistically significant. One-factor analysis of variance for the peak values of hunger ratings was significant. These values in control females were significantly higher than those in AN-R and AN-T females. Discussion: These results suggest that perception of hunger to insulin-induced hypoglycemia in AN patients is disturbed. (C) 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 29: 354-357, 2001.