Eating Disorders · Texas behavioral health news
Glucocorticoid signalling dysregulation and immune cell adaptation in Anorexia Nervosa - Nature
Eating Disorders (Google News) · July 20, 2026
In plain language
Researchers have discovered that anorexia nervosa involves more than just eating habits; it also changes how the body’s immune system and stress hormones function. Even when patients begin to regain weight, their levels of the stress hormone cortisol and certain immune cells can remain abnormal. This study found that these biological changes might happen in the brain, potentially keeping the illness going even after a person looks healthier physically. Understanding these deep physical changes could eventually lead to new treatments that target the body's internal stress response to help recovery.
AI-generated summary of the source article. Not medical advice.
Key takeaways
- Patients with anorexia often have high cortisol levels and unusual immune cell activity even after starting recovery.
- Weight regain alone may not mean the body has fully recovered from the underlying biological effects of anorexia.
- The brain's resident immune cells, called microglia, appear to be affected by the hormonal changes seen in the disorder.
- In animal studies, blocking specific stress receptors helped reduce compulsive hyperactivity and brain inflammation.
- Anorexia may create a paradoxical state where the immune system is both suppressed and overactive at the same time.
Glucocorticoid signalling dysregulation and immune cell adaptation in Anorexia Nervosa Nature
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