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doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-49371-1. PMID: 38971801; PMCID: PMC11227582.
“Working with mice, the researchers discovered that a deficit in the acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter in an area of the brain called the striatum, which is associated with the reward system, can lead to excessive habit formation and precipitate the compulsive self-starvation seen in people who suffer from anorexia nervosa.”
They investigated whether, “donepezil, a medication which is known to increase the presence of acetylcholine in the brain, could have an effect on these compulsive self-destructive behaviours.
““We found that it fully reversed the anorexia-like behaviour in mice, and we believe that it could potentially offer the first mechanism-based treatment of anorexia nervosa. In fact, we are already seeing its effects on some patients with the disease.”