Anorexia nervosa in a young man with Tourette's syndrome

Successful treatment of Tourette's syndrome in a young man seemed to precipitate anorexia nervosa. The obsessional behaviors associated with Tourette's syndrome and the social isolation incurred by his illness may have predisposed this patient to the development of anorexia nervosa in response to the heightened anxiety of adolescence. The association between obsessive-compulsive behavior and Tourette's syndrome is described, as is the diagnostic difficulty posed by the somatic obsessiveness of males with anorexia nervosa. The importance of using the biopsychosocial model to integrate pharmacologic therapy and psychotherapy in treating complicated conditions, as illustrated by the patient, is emphasized.