Alterations in serotonin activity and psychiatric symptoms after recovery from bulimia nervosa.
BACKGROUND
Women with bulimia nervosa (BN) have disturbances of mood and behavior and alterations of monoamine activity when they are bingeing and purging. It is not known whether these alterations are secondary to pathological eating behavior or traits that could contribute to the pathogenesis of BN.


METHODS
To avoid the confounding effects of pathological eating behavior, we studied 30 women after long-term recovery (>1 year with no bingeing or purging, normal weight, and regular menstrual cycles) from BN. Subjects were compared with 31 healthy volunteer women. We assessed psychiatric diagnoses and symptoms to determine whether there was any persistent disturbance of behavior after recovery. We measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of the major metabolites of serotonin (5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid [5-HIAA]), dopamine (homovanillic acid [HVA]), and norepinephrine (3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol [MHPG]) as well as hormonal and behavioral response to m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP), a serotonin-specific agent.


RESULTS
Women who were recovered from BN had mild to moderate negative moods and obsessions with perfectionism and exactness and exaggerated core eating disorder symptoms compared with healthy volunteer women. Recovered BN women had increased levels of CSF 5-HIAA compared with control women (117 +/- 33 vs 73 +/- 15 pmol/mL; P< or =.001) but normal CSF HVA and MHPG concentrations. Recovered BN women had an anxious and disorganized behavioral response to m-CPP but a normal hormonal response.


CONCLUSIONS
Persistent serotonergic and behavioral abnormalities after recovery raise the possibility that these psychobiological alterations might be trait-related and contribute to the pathogenesis of BN.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, PA 15213, USA.
W H
WH
Kaye
C G
CG
Greeno
H
H
Moss
J
J
Fernstrom
M
M
Fernstrom
L R
LR
Lilenfeld
T E
TE
Weltzin
J J
JJ
Mann
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D002032:Bulimia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D010919:Placebos; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*
D010879:Piperazines; D010919:Placebos; D012701:Serotonin; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D011388:Prolactin; C015068:1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D006719:Homovanillic Acid