[Neurologic analysis of cerebral exhaustion]

The study was aimed at determining the role of cerebral dysfunction in exhaustion syndrome involving various disorders of feeding motivation (anorexia, bulimia). Clinicopsychological study (neurological, endocrinological investigation, Cattell, Levine-Hoppe and MMIL testing) was performed in 23 women with exhaustion syndrome. The patients were divided into 2 groups: (1), 12 patients with bulimic neurogenic anorexia; (2), 11 neurotic patients with genuine anorexia. All patients displayed the background dysfunction of the cerebral integrative systems with motivational, neuro-metabolic-endocrine and autonomic disorders. Constitutional acquired hypothalamo-hypophyseal insufficiency had special traits in either group, a factor substantially influencing the course of the disease. The fact that neurogenic anorexia combined with hypothalamo-hypophyseal insufficiency was crucial for the establishment of bulimic form in particular, and for increased incidence of neuro-metabolic-endocrine disorders. Contrarily, the exhaustion syndrome in neuroses developing on the background of hypothalamo-hypophyseal insufficiency was influenced by the decompensation of initial motivational (anorexia) and neuro-metabolic (asthenic constitution) signs. It was also under the impact of specificity of symptom formation in neuroses with hypothalamohypophyseal disorders, including the feeding behavior pathology. The study implies the necessity of evaluation of the brain states with due consideration of cerebral factors in shaping neurogenic anorexia and neurosis.