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Rapid changes in night eating: Considering mechanisms

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 01 September 2010

Abstract

This paper considers possible mechanisms for the Night Eating Syndrome (NES). NES is a disorder characterized by a delay in the circadian rhythm of meals and of several neuroendocrine factors. The disorder occurs in genetically vulnerable people when exposed to stress. No convincing mechanism of the NES has been reported until now. To search for the mechanisms of NES, the long term treatment of two highly perceptive patients with rapid onset of the disorder are described. Disruption of three neuroendocrine systems compatible with these histories are discussed: the glucocorticoid system, the melatonergic system, and the serotonergic system. Current evidence favors the serotonergic system and this view is strongly supported by the great effectiveness of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the treatment of NES.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    A. Stunkard MD

  2. Health Science Center at San Antonio, University of Texas, San Antonio, Texas, USA

    X-Y. Lu

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  1. A. Stunkard MD
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  2. X-Y. Lu
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Correspondence to A. Stunkard MD.

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An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF03325300.

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Stunkard, A., Lu, XY. Rapid changes in night eating: Considering mechanisms. Eat Weight Disord 15, e2–e8 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03325274

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