Polyphagia

Etymology

The word polyphagia ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|p|ɒ||l|i|ˈ|f|eɪ|dʒ|i|ə

Underlying conditions and possible causes

Polyphagia is one of the most common symptoms of diabetes mellitus. It is associated with hyperthyroidism and endocrine diseases, e.g., Graves' disease, and it has also been noted in Prader–Willi syndrome and other genetic conditions caused by chromosomal anomalies. It is only one of several diagnostic criteria for bulimia and is not by itself classified as an eating disorder. As a symptom of Kleine–Levin syndrome, it is sometimes termed megaphagia.

Impaired leptin signaling in vagal nerve receptors has been shown to cause hyperphagia.

Changes in hormones associated with the female menstrual cycle can lead to extreme hunger right before the period. Spikes in estrogen and progesterone and decreased serotonin can lead to cravings for carbohydrates and fats.

Polyphagia is found in the following conditions:

• Chromosome 22q13 duplication syndrome
• Chromosome 2p25.3 deletion (MYT1L syndrome)
• Chromosome Xq26.3 duplication syndrome
• Congenital generalized lipodystrophy, types 1 and 2
• Diabetes mellitus type 1
• Familial renal glucosuria
• Frontotemporal dementia
• Frontotemporal dementia, ubiquitin-positive
• Graves' disease
• Hypotonia-cystinuria syndrome
• Kleine–Levin syndrome
• Leptin deficiency or dysfunction
• Leptin receptor deficiency
• Luscan-Lumish syndrome
• Macrosomia adiposa congenita
• Intellectual developmental disorder, autosomal dominant 1
• Obesity, hyperphagia, and developmental delay (OBHD)
• Rapid-onset obesity with hypothalamic dysregulation, hypoventilation, and autonomic dysregulation (ROHHAD syndrome)
• Pick's disease
• Prader–Willi syndrome
• Proopiomelanocortin deficiency
• Schaaf–Yang syndrome

Polyphagia in diabetes

Diabetes mellitus causes a disruption in the body's ability to transfer glucose from food into energy. Polyphagia in type 2 diabetes is usually not as apparent as the polyphagia in type 1 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, it probably results from cellular starvation and the depletion of cellular stores of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

References

References

1. "Polyphagia".
2. [https://www.diabetes.co.uk/symptoms/polyphagia.html Diabetes.co.uk]
3. (December 1962). "Periodic hypersomnia and megaphagia in adolescent males". Brain.
4. (2014). "Deletion of leptin signaling in vagal afferent neurons results in hyperphagia and obesity". Molecular Metabolism.
5. (2023). "Polyphagia". Cleveland Clinic.
6. "Polyphagia (Concept Id: C0020505) - MedGen - NCBI".
7. Grossman, Sheila. (2014). "Porth's Pathophysiology: Concepts of Altered Health States". Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.