Body weight regulation in anorexia nervosa under special consideration of leptin secretion

Underweight is a key symptom in anorexia nervosa. In this review we summari ze recent findings pertaining to weight regulation in this eating disorder. The observation that a body mass index below 13 kg/m2 upon admission for i npatient treatment is associated with a high mortality rate and chronic per sistence of underweight is of obvious clinical relevance. A lowered leptin secretion,which results from the weight loss, is presumably of major import ance for the development of amenorrhea. We discuss findings pertaining to a reduced body weight in other psychiatric disorders during adolescence in t he light of Kretschmer's findings related to body frame and psychopathology .