[Anorexia nervosa in adult women]

The author presents the clinical picture of anorexia nervosa and comorbidity in women with serious symptoms of anorexia nervosa (diagnosed acc. to DSM-IV), which appeared in adulthood, after the age of 25 years.

Most of these patients (25-40 years old) had mild symptoms of eating disorders (restricted anorexia nervosa), from adolescence, never diagnosed and treated, had a nondisturbed somatic state and social functioning. The worsening of psychic state and full development of anorexia nervosa symptoms occurred during stressful life event (e.g. avoidance by sexual partner). The majority of those patients had present and past (from adolescence) various anxiety and depressive disorders and personality disorders (obsessive--compulsive, borderline). In most of the women older than 40 years, anorexia nervosa comorbid with depressive disorders, less often with mixed, anxiety--depressive, disorders. The symptoms occurred during menopause, after loss of life-partner (separation or death). It was not established, which of these disorders appeared as the first one. The prognosis was better for the second group of those patients.