PLASMA GALANIN CONCENTRATIONS IN OBESE, NORMAL-WEIGHT AND ANORECTIC WOMEN

OBJECTIVE: Galanin is believed to play a role in the control of eating behavior. No information is available on its concentrations in the bi ological fluids in human obesity, and this study aimed to clarify this . MEASUREMENTS: We measured plasma galanin and serum insulin levels in 30 obese, 35 normal weight and 11 anorectic women. RESULTS: Mean gala nin values were quite similar in obese and control subjects (76.8 +/- 3.20 vs 76.1 +/- 2.33 pg/ml) and only slightly reduced in anorectic pa tients (67.9 +/- 2.30 pg/ml), Insulin levels were significantly increa sed and decreased in obese and anorectic patients, respectively, compa red to controls. Insulin correlated positively with BMI in the whole g roup of subjects studied (r = 0.72, P < 0.0001) and in the obese subgr oup (r = 0.56, P < 0.02). No correlations could be detected between WH ratio, insulin and galanin concentrations and between galanin and BMI . CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, plasma galanin concentrations appear to be comparable in obese, normal weight and anorectic subjects, This doe s not exclude a role of galanin in the regulation of eating behavior s ince variations of the peptide in discrete brain areas may not be dete ctable in general circulation and peripheral sources of the peptide ma y contribute to its plasma levels. Also, our data suggest that galanin does not play a major role in the regulation of insulin secretion in humans.