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Anorexia Nervosa and otherWeight-Loss-Associated Amenorrheas

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Gynecologic Endocrinology

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Abstract

The human female reproductive system is regulated by complex neuroendocrinological control mechanisms that are exquisitely sensitive to changes in both the endogenous central and peripheral endocrine milieus as well as to modifying factors in the environment. A loss of body weight is one such factor that may be induced by internal or external motivation and that may result in hypothalamic- pituitary-ovarian dysfunctions manifested by menstrual disturbances. The extent to which menstrual aberrations occur after weight loss is quite variable, ranging from the amenorrheas associated with anorexia nervosa to the lesser, concerning oligomenorrheas usually seen with bulimia, simple weight loss, or as part of exercise programs. To attribute menstrual changes in these situations solely to alterations in body weight, however, would be unrealistically simplistic. Reproductive dysfunctions attributable to undernutrition are complicated in their etiology and, although poorly understood, are thought to involve not only peripheral endocrine changes due to a loss of weight, but also central modifications of neuroendocrine reproductive cycle control brought about by psychodynamic stress and metabolic and neural inputs to the hypo- thalamic-pituitary axis.1

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan, 48072, USA

    John R. Musich

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, 48201, USA

    John R. Musich

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  1. John R. Musich
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Jay J. Gold M.D., F.A.C.P (Clinical Professor of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology) (Clinical Professor of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology)

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA

    John B. Josimovich M.D. (Professor and Vice-Chairman) (Professor and Vice-Chairman)

  3. Department of Pathology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA

    John B. Josimovich M.D. (Professor and Vice-Chairman) (Professor and Vice-Chairman)

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© 1987 Plenum Publishing Corporation

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Musich, J.R. (1987). Anorexia Nervosa and otherWeight-Loss-Associated Amenorrheas. In: Gold, J.J., Josimovich, J.B. (eds) Gynecologic Endocrinology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2157-6_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2157-6_21

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9272-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-2157-6

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