Electric Stimulation Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa: from Modern Treatments to bench study with Aplysia californica

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a mental disorder characterized by the practice of extreme diets that results in low bone density and weight loss. Aside from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychiatric therapy, deep brain stimulation (DBS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) stimulation have started to yield greater promise and effectiveness. We will review the clinical cases using electric stimulation in treating AN. We will also provide evidence that demonstrate the switching of feeding motor programming in Aplysia californica by electric stimulation and magnetic stimulation. Our work is essential in establishing Aplysia as a valuable model for studying the cellular and molecular basis of treatment of Anorexia nervosa with DBS and TMS.