[Comorbidity between eating disorders and mood disorders: review]

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
• Clinical Psychology
• Epidemiology

Context:

• Comorbidity between eating disorders (ED) and mood disorders (MD) presents significant challenges in patient evaluation and treatment.
• Existing literature shows wide variations in estimated comorbidity rates, hindering direct comparisons due to differing assessment methods and diagnostic criteria.
• Few studies have incorporated control groups, making it unclear if mood disorders are more prevalent in individuals with ED than in the general female population.

Purpose:

• To conduct a critical literature review on studies assessing the prevalence of mood disorders in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) or bulimia nervosa (BN).
• To discuss methodological issues relevant to comorbidity studies between ED and mood disorders and select the most reliable studies.
• To summarize the findings of selected studies, considering methodological limitations.

Summary:

• A review of numerous studies suggests potential elevated rates of mood disorders in individuals with eating disorders.
• However, current evidence remains inconclusive, with many unanswered questions and conflicting findings.
• Methodological limitations, including a lack of control groups and inconsistent diagnostic criteria, impede definitive conclusions.

Impact:

• Highlights the need for rigorously designed future studies with specific aims for comorbidity assessment.
• Emphasizes the importance of including control subjects, evaluating all types of mood disorders, and considering diverse diagnostic subgroups.
• Underscores that reliable estimates of mood disorder frequency in ED populations are crucial for advancing etiological understanding, therapeutic strategies, and prognostic insights.