Ghrelin and eating disturbances in psychiatric disorders.

INTRODUCTION Appetite and eating behavior are frequently altered in psychiatric patients. The newly discovered gut-derived neuropeptide ghrelin simulates hunger and weight gain. Therefore, it might be involved in appetite regulation during psychiatric disorders. METHODS In 83 depressed, 42 schizophrenic patients and 46 healthy controls plasma ghrelin levels were measured, and the psychometric scores on the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) were assessed. RESULTS Neither ghrelin levels nor TFEQ scores differed between both patient groups and healthy subjects. However, TFEQ subscale 2 (disinhibition) was predicted by BMI-corrected ghrelin levels, while age, sex, smoking, and medication did not show any influence. DISCUSSION Ghrelin correlates with factors of eating behavior, specifically with subscale 2 on the TFEQ. Ghrelin might be involved in appetite-regulating pathways during psychiatric disorders. However, its influence is not likely to be displayed as a difference between diagnostic groups. Rather, ghrelin is associated with eating behavior in psychiatric patients meaning susceptibility to eating problems.