Current status of anorexia nervosa treatment

Abstract

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by low body weight as a result of restrictive eating behaviors. Although it is mostly seen in adolescent women, it can also occur in adulthood. Diets in which energy intake is restricted, heavy sports and obsessive movements were evaluated as distinct symptoms of AN. Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate among psychiatric disorders. Although there are alternative approaches for treatment, there is no clear application. Genetic and neurobiological mechanisms of AN were examined for a specific treatment. Dietitian-controlled diet was evaluated as an effective method for weight gain for AN treatment. Family-based treatment and adolescent-focused therapy in adolescents and Maudsley model applications in adults were examined for conditions with psychiatric comorbidity. What the drug treatments were and at what dose they should be applied in AN were evaluated. Finally, promising molecules in AN treatment were mentioned. It has been observed that an interdisciplinary approach is more curative in the treatment of AN. This review is a synthesis of literature studies on the definition, diagnosis, and treatment of anorexia nervosa.