title: Psychopathological traits of adolescents with functional hypothalamic amenorrhea: a comparison with anorexia nervosa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) is a form of anovulation, due to the suppression of hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, not related to identifiable organic causes. Like adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN), subjects with FHA show dysfunctional attitudes, low self-esteem, depressive mood, anxiety and inability to cope with daily stress. The aim of the study is to examine similarities and differences between FHA and AN in terms of clinical profiles and psychological variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  21 adolescents with FHA, 21 adolescents with anorexia nervosa, and 21 healthy adolescents were included in the study. All the teenagers completed a battery of self-administered psychological tests for the detection of behaviors and symptoms attributable to the presence of an eating disorder (EDI-2), depression (CDI), and alexithymia (TAS-20).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Different from healthy controls, subjects with FHA and with AN shared common psychopathological aspects, such as maturity issues, social insecurity and introversion, a tendency to depression, excessive concerns with dieting, and fear of gaining weight. Nevertheless, adolescents with AN presented a more profound psychopathological disorder as observed at test comparisons with subjects with FHA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results show a clinical spectrum that includes AN and FHA and suggest the necessity to treat FHA with a multidisciplinary approach for both organic and psychological aspects.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Ospedale San Gerardo di Monza, University of Milan Bicocca, Via Pergolesi, 33, 20900, Monza (MB), Italy, monica.bomba@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bomba
authors.forename: Fabiola
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Corbetta
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bonini
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gambera
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tremolizzo
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nacinovich
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007027:Hypothalamic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011599:Psychopathology
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