Neuropsychological study of underweight and "weight-recovered" anorexia nervosa compared with bulimia nervosa and normal controls.
OBJECTIVE
To compare executive, memory and visuospatial functioning of DSM-IV anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and normal controls (NC).


METHODS
A comparison of women involving: (i) 16 AN with body mass indices (BMI) < or = 17.5 kg/m(2); (ii) 12 AN with BMI > 18.5 kg/m(2) for at least 3 months; (iii) 13 BN; and (iv) 16 NC participants was performed with groups of similar age and intelligence. Groups were assessed with EDE-12, MADRS, HAMA, Cognitive Drug Research (CDR) battery, and Bechara tasks.


RESULTS
Significant impairments in CDR Power of Attention were present in underweight AN and BN participants. CDR Morse Tapping was significantly impaired in all clinical groups. The BN and weight-recovered AN groups were significantly impaired on CDR immediate word recall. The BN group alone was significantly impaired on CDR delayed word recall.


CONCLUSIONS
Attentional impairment is similar in AN and BN. Impaired motor tasks in AN persist after "weight-recovery" and are similar to impairments in BN. BN may be discriminated from AN on word recall.
Bosanac
Peter
P
Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Austin Hospital, Studley Road, Heidelberg 3084, Melbourne, Australia. bosanacp@unimelb.edu.au
Kurlender
Simone
S
Stojanovska
Lillian
L
Hallam
Karen
K
Norman
Trevor
T
McGrath
Caroline
C
Burrows
Graham
G
Wesnes
Keith
K
Manktelow
Tamsin
T
Olver
James
J
D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001835:Body Weight; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D013028:Space Perception; D013851:Thinness