Abstract
Hunger sensation (HS) is a perception with a daily (circadian) and within-day (ultradian) recursive pattern. In human beings, circadian repeatability was investigated by means of the Single Cosinor method, while the ultradian recursivity was investigated by means of the spectral analysis, both applied to the 24-h HS profile (orexigram). Orexigrams were provided by each subject investigated, who self-rated her subjective orectic stimulus (OS) (from 1 to 10 hunger units) every half hour. The study was performed in 19 female patients aged 13-52 newly diagnosed as in the first episode of Anorexia Nervosa Restricting Type, with a BMI below 18.7 The control group consisted of 10 clinically healthy women aged 21 to 52 years with a BMI from 23 to 25. Two types of orexigrams were found. The first was characterized by a low profile with negligible ultradian variability, in which the HS circadian rhythm (CR) was still detectable, bu the power spectrum (PS) was composed of unusual ultradian components associated with a very diminished amplitude for the circadian harmonics. The second was characterized by an almos regular profile, in which the ultradian variability was clearly detectable, the CR regularly fluctuat ed, and the PS was almost regularly composed. These findings indicate that anorectic patients (AP) can be recognized by their orexigram as “hyporectic”, or “eurectic”. Therefore, the term “anorexia” seems to be appropriate for AP who exhibit the first type of orexigram (anorectic aphagia nervosa), whereas the second identifying those who could be defined as suffering from “eurectic aphagia nervosa”.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cugini P., Battisti P., Di Palma L.: Eating behaviour: investigation on the recursive components of hunger sensation by iterative rhythmometry. It. J. Gastroenterol., 23, 128–131, 1991.
Cugini P., Battisti P. Paggi A., Di Stasio E.M., Di Palma L., Morelli F., Pisculli M., Lavielle R.: Chronobiometric identification of disorders of hunger sensation in essential obesity: therapeutic effects of dexfenfluramine. Metabolism, 44, 50–56, 1995.
Cugini P., Battisti P., Di Palma L., Ferrari E.: Spectral analysis to explore hunger sensation in obesity. Chronobiological Section, 1, 37–44, 1995.
Cugini P., Murano G., Lucia P., Letizia C., Mazzetti di Pietralata M.: Circadian and ultradian rhythms for hunger behaviour. In: Ferrari E., Brambilla F. (Eds.), Disorders of eating behaviour. A psychoneuroendocrine approach. Advances in the biosciences, Vol. 60. Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1986, pp. 93–96.
Mayer J.: Hunger and satiety in health and disease. Adv. Psychosom. Med., 7, 322–336, 1972.
Rolls B.J., Andersen A.E., Moran T.H., McNelis A.L., Baier H.C., Fedoroff I.C.: Food intake, hunger, satiety after preloads in women with eating disorders. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 55, 1093–1103, 1992.
Halmi K.A., Sunday S.R.: Temporal patterns of hunger and fullness ratings and related cognitions in anorexia and bulimia. Appetite 16, 19–37, 1991.
Sunday S.R., Halmi K.A.: Micro- and macroanalysis of patterns within a meal in anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Appetite 26, 21–36, 1996.
Cugini P., Battisti P., Di Palma L.: Analisi spettrale per il riscontro diagnostico ed il controllo terapeutico delle anomalie della sensazione di fame. In: Mazzetti di Pietralata M. (Ed.), Proceedings of the Congress on “Aspetti Clinici e Psicologici del Comportamento Alimentare”. Istituto Poligrafico e della Zecca dello Stato, Roma, 1991, pp. 44–78.
American Psychiatric Association (APA), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Ed. Washington, DC, 1994.
Halberg F., Johnson E.A., Nelson W., Runge W., Sothern R.B.: Autorhythmometry: procedures for physiologic self-measurements and their analysis. Physiological Teacher, 1, 1–11, 1972.
Bloomfield P.: Fourier analysis of time series: an introduction. Wiley Interscience, New York, 1976.
Kogi K., Hakamada T.: Frequency analysis of the surface electromyogram in muscle fatigue. Journal of Scientific Labour, 38, 519–528, 1062.
Jansen B.H., Bourne J.R., Ward J.: Auto — regressive estimation of short segment spectra for computerized EEG analysis. IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. BME 25, 630–638, 1981.
Pagani M., Lombardi F., Guzzetti F., Rimoldi O., Furlan R., Pizzinelli P., Sandrone G., Malfatto G., Dell’Orto S., Piccaluga E., Turiel M., Baselli G., Cerutti S., Malliani R.: Power spectral analysis of heart rate and arterial pressure variability as a marker of sympathovagal interaction in man and conscious dog. Circ. Res. 59, 178–193, 1986.
Inoue T.: Power spectrum of EEG. Methods for estimating the power spectrum. Clin. EEG 30, 684–688, 1988.
Malliani A., Pagani M., Lombardi F., Cerruti S.: Cardiovascular neural regulation explored in the frequency domain. Circulation 84, 482–492, 1991.
Badier M., Guillot C., Jammes E.: EMG power spectrum of respiratory and skeletal muscles during static contraction in healthy man. Muscle & Nerve 16, 601–609, 1993.
Bruch H.: Perceptual and conceptual disturbances in anorexia nervosa. Psychosomatic Medicine 24, 187–194, 1962.
Halmi K.A.: Hunger and satiety in clinical disorders. In: Brownell K.J., Fairburn C.G. (Eds.): Eating Disorders and Obesity. A Comprehensive Handbook. Guilford Press, New York, 1995, pp. 247–250.
Owen W.P., Halmi K.A., Gibbs J., Smith G.P.: Satiety responses in eating disorders. J. Psychiatr. Res. 19, 279–284, 1985.
Drewnowski A., Pierce B., Halmi K.A.: Fat avversion in eating disorders. Appetite 10, 119–131, 1988.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cugini, P., Ventura, M., Ceccotti, P. et al. Hunger sensation: A chronobiometric approach to its within-day and intraday recursivity in anorexia nervosa restricting type. Eat Weight Disord 3, 115–123 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03339998
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03339998