An object-oriented simulation of anorexia based on brain structure interaction

A computer simulation using an object-oriented strategy was developed to model brain mechanisms that underlie eating disorders. The simulation was based on neuroanatomical and neurochemical evidence from published literature. Testing of the simulation required that the activity levels of the raphe nuclei of the brain stem be altered and the resulting activity levels of associated brain structures be compared with results from human and animal data. The results supported the serotonin hypothesis of anorexia that increasing the activity level of the raphe nuclei would result in dramatic changes in the activity level of the paraventricular nucleus. The findings are discussed with respect to the feasibility of computer simulations to test theories of brain-based disorders.