Abnormal food-seeking behavior after surgery for craniopharyngioma.
Three patients are described in whom surgical removal of a craniopharyngioma was followed by extreme hyperphagia resulting in obesity and abnormal food-seeking behavior, including foraging for food, stealing food or stealing money for food. These behaviors resemble those seen in the Prader-Willi syndrome but contrast with those noted in bulimia. This deviant behavior was a major factor in the poor outcome of surgery. Attempts at rehabilitation were unsuccessful.
Skorzewska
A
A
Department of Psychiatry, Montreal General Hospital, Que., Canada.
Lal
S
S
Waserman
J
J
Guyda
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011218:Prader-Willi Syndrome / Q000523:psychology