Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 7, 2026

A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
Mood disorders in eating disorder patients: Prevalence and chronology of ONSET
1Psychiatry Department, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris (IMM), Paris, France; Faculty of Medicine, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France; Inserm U669, Paris, France.
Objectives:
In a clinical population, we estimated the frequency of mood disorders among 271 patients suffering from Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Bulimia Nervosa (BN) in comparison to a control group matched for age and gender.
Method:
The frequency of mood disorders was measured using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), DSM-IV version.
Results:
Mood disorders were more frequent among eating disorder (ED) patients than among controls, with a global prevalence of the order of 80% for each ED group. The majority of the mood disorders comorbid with ED were depressive disorders (MDD and dysthymia). The relative chronology of onset of these disorders was equivocal, because mood disorders in some cases preceded and in others followed the onset of the eating disorders.
Limitations:
Our sample was characterized by patients with severe ED and high comorbidities, and thus do not represent the entire population of AN or BN. This also may have resulted in an overestimation of prevalence.
Conclusion:
Mood disorders appear significantly more frequently in patients seeking care for ED than in controls. These results have implications for the assessment and treatment of ED patients, and for the aetio-pathogenesis of these disorders.
Related Concept Videos
Bulimia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Binge Eating Disorders
Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia
Bipolar Disorder
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...

