[Sweet bulimia, salty bulimia. 2 syndromes]

We report the psychopathological study of 20 subjects with the Bulimia syndrome (DSM III criteria) specifying affective, emotional state and psychiatric symptoms associated with the eating disorder. Evaluation was made using self-rating questionnaires, anxiety and depression rating scales and specific rating scales for various clinical dimensions (impulsivity and mood). Two groups of subjects differing from one another on their elective appetite and taste for two types of food (sweet versus salty) are distinguished. Clinical characteristics of each group are different: Carbohydrate bulimics are more impulsive, dysphoric, make much greater use of medications, drugs, and alcohol than salted food bulimics do. Patients of the second group are more anxious and emotionally blunted. Anorexia nervosa was more often present in their past. The two groups differ also in their responses to serotoninergic and noradrenergic medications used here in open trial. These results are consistent with literature data on carbohydrate metabolism, impulsivity disorders, depression and cerebral serotonin.