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Anorexia nervosa. An affective disorder?
Archives of General Psychiatry
|September 1, 1977
Summary
Long-term follow-up of anorexia nervosa patients reveals no deaths and few persistent eating disorders. However, affective disorders, especially depression, were common, suggesting a strong link between anorexia nervosa and mood disorders.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Eating Disorders Research
Background:
- Anorexia nervosa is a severe eating disorder with potential long-term psychological consequences.
- Understanding the co-occurrence of other psychiatric conditions is crucial for comprehensive patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the long-term outcomes of adolescent anorexia nervosa patients.
- To investigate the prevalence of other eating difficulties and clinical psychopathology, particularly affective disorders, at follow-up.
Main Methods:
- Follow-up data collected on 26 patients previously hospitalized for anorexia nervosa.
- Mean follow-up duration of 4.9 years.
- Assessment of current eating behaviors and clinical psychopathology.
Main Results:
- No mortalities observed among the 26 patients.
- Only one patient remained possibly anorexic at follow-up; however, many experienced other eating difficulties.
- High incidence of clinical psychopathology, notably affective disorder (depression), was observed.
- A family history of affective disorder was common, particularly in mothers.
Conclusions:
- Anorexia nervosa patients show good recovery regarding mortality and persistent anorexia.
- Affective disorders, particularly depression, are highly prevalent in individuals with a history of anorexia nervosa.
- Findings support a significant relationship between anorexia nervosa and affective disorder.