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Relationship between bipolar illness and binge-eating disorders
Carla E Ramacciotti1, Riccardo A Paoli, Giovanni Marcacci
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, via Roma 67, 56126, Pisa, Italy. carlarama2001@hotmail.com
Psychiatry Research
|June 1, 2005
Summary
Bipolar disorder (BP) patients frequently develop eating disorders (EDs), including binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN). The study suggests EDs may arise from emotional regulation difficulties and BP medications, with cultural factors influencing BN.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Eating disorders (EDs) and bipolar disorder (BP) are serious mental health conditions.
- Comorbidity between EDs and BP requires further investigation to understand underlying mechanisms and treatment implications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of EDs in patients with BP disorder.
- To explore the temporal relationship between BP and ED onset.
- To identify potential contributing factors to ED development in BP patients.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 51 outpatients diagnosed with BP I disorder was evaluated.
- The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) was used for BP diagnosis.
- The Binge Eating Disorder Clinical Interview (BEDCI) assessed for BED and bulimia nervosa (BN).
Main Results:
- 14 out of 51 BP patients (27.5%) met criteria for an ED (9 BED, 5 BN).
- EDs typically developed concurrently with or after the onset of BP, across manic and depressive phases.
- Bulimia nervosa was exclusively observed in women, with a higher family history of binge eating compared to BED and non-ED BP patients.
Conclusions:
- There is a high frequency of concordance between BP and binge eating problems.
- A proposed model suggests EDs develop due to emotional regulation via food and BP medication side effects.
- Gender, family history, and cultural factors may play a role in the development of BN in BP patients.