Anorexia nervosa: a group case conference

Four patients with primary anorexia nervosa were interviewed in order to demonstrate some of the characteristic features of this disorder. Although this disorder occurs only rarely in males, one of these four patients was a young man. Primary anorexia nervosa is discussed from a variety of perspectives, including descriptive, psychodynamic, and hormonal. A brief review of the theoretical rationale underlying a variety of psychotherapeutic approaches is offered, and reports of their effectiveness are considered. Primary anorexia nervosa is probably best conceptualized as a complicated disorder with an admixture of serious psychological and somatic components, including the characteristic approach-avoidance conflict over eating. The authors speculate on the possibility of an underlying disorder of central catecholamine metabolism, particularly in relationship to dopamine transmission.