Eating Disorder Research at the LVR University Hospital Essen

The Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy at the LVR University Hospital Essen is committed to advancing translational research on the biological mechanisms of psychiatric illnesses in childhood and adolescence. A particular focus is on the investigation of hormonal and immunological processes and their interaction with neurocognitive and affective symptoms. Our interdisciplinary research projects combine clinical studies with experimental animal models to unravel the complex bidirectional relationships between somatic and psychological factors.

At the core of this research is the study of anorexia nervosa, a serious psychiatric disorder with a high rate of chronicity and relapse. In this context, several studies in both human and animal models focus on the microbiome-gut-brain axis as well as the low-FT3 syndrome in adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Additionally, our Leptin Working Group investigates the effects of hypoleptinemia, commonly present in anorexia nervosa, and explores potential treatment with metreleptin.