Damiani, Margherita (2024) The role of the reward system in Anorexia Nervosa. Bachelor's Thesis, Biology.
|
Text
bBIO2024DamianiM.pdf Download (1MB) | Preview |
|
![[img]](https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/style/images/fileicons/text.png) |
Text
toestemming.pdf Restricted to Registered users only Download (126kB) |
Abstract
Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a complex mental disorder characterized by a significant reduction in food intake, leading to severe weight loss and emaciation. Despite its prevalence, especially among young adolescents, the exact causes of this multifactorial disease remain unknown, posing challenges for effective treatment. Patients with AN exhibit various neurobiological alterations, though it is unclear whether these changes result from the effects of starvation. Among these alterations, disruptions in dopaminergic transmission are notable. Worth noting, a study by Barbato et al. (2006) discovered that eye-blinking rate—a peripheral measure of central dopaminergic activity—is significantly increased in patients with restricting-type AN. Dopamine plays a crucial role in reward-associated pathways within the mesocorticolimbic circuits. Therefore, this thesis aims to address the question: Can a reward-centered model explain the development and maintenance of AN? After examining studies involving reward-based paradigms in response to food-related and illness-compatible cues, a theoretical framework is proposed. The current model suggests that reward-based learned associations can account for the progression of the disease, aligning with its pathological features. Additionally, the thesis highlights the striking similarities between addiction and AN and proposes new treatment strategies that target reward processing in AN patients.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor's Thesis) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Scheurink, A.J.W. |
| Degree programme: | Biology |
| Thesis type: | Bachelor's Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Date Deposited: | 03 Jul 2024 08:39 |
| Last Modified: | 03 Jul 2024 08:39 |
| URI: | https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/32989 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |