In patients with anorexia nervosa, in whom chronic hyperghrelinaemia presents with two- to three-fold increased levels (Broglio et al, 2004), i.v. ghrelin (1 μg kg−1 per hour for 5 h (5 pmol kg−1 min−1 × 300 min; Miljic et al, 2006) or 1 μg kg−1 (Broglio et al, 2004)) caused much lower GH and glucose increases than in healthy volunteers and caused no appetite stimulation but increased sleepiness. The gene discussed is GHRL; the disease is anorexia nervosa.