'La douce indifférence' and mood in anorexia nervosa: neuropsychological correlates

1. Denial of illness, mood, eating attitudes, and the responses to visual-constructive tasks were assessed in eight right-handed female patients with restricting anorexia nervosa during the acute phase and following weight gain. 2. A lower body weight and more pronounced anorectic symptomatology were associated with increased left hemispheric activation. 3. Weight gain, greater awareness of negative affect, and overestimation of body parts were correlated with an increase in right hemispheric activation. 4. The results suggest a relationship between anorectic symptomatology and asymmetric brain activation.