Leptin Treatment in Activity-Based Anorexia

Background Activity-based anorexia (ABA) is considered an animal model of anorexia nervosa (AN). In ABA, scheduled feeding together with voluntary access to a running wheel results in increased running wheel activity (RWA), hypophagia, and body weight loss. Previously it was shown that leptin treatment reduced semi-starvation-induced hyperactivity in rats. The present study was performed to confirm and extend this finding, to evaluate leptin’s effect on energy balance in ABA. Methods The effects of chronic leptin treatment (intracerebroventricular, 4 μg/day) in ABA rats, ad libitum-fed running rats, and sedentary rats exposed to ad libitum feeding or scheduled feeding were investigated. Results Leptin treatment decreased RWA in ABA rats. Additionally, leptin treatment reduced food intake and increased energy expenditure by thermogenesis in ABA rats. Ad libitum-fed running/sedentary rats or food-restricted sedentary rats did not reduce activity after leptin treatment, whereas all leptin-treated rats showed hypophagia. Body temperature was slightly increased in leptin-treated food-restricted sedentary rats. Conclusions Although leptin treatment reduced RWA in ABA rats, it also prevented hypothermia and decreased food intake. Altogether, this resulted in a stronger negative energy balance and body weight loss in leptin-treated ABA rats.