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Behavior, attitude, nutrition and endocrinology in anorexia nervosa: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY IN 24 PATIENTS
Author(s) -
Fichter M. M.,
Doerr P.,
Pirke K. M.,
Lund R.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1982.tb04500.x
Subject(s) - anorectic , medicine , endocrinology , anorexia nervosa , psychology , neuroticism , hydrocortisone , anorexia , personality , body weight , clinical psychology , eating disorders , social psychology
Twenty‐four anorexia nervosa patients participated in an inpatient broad spectrum behavior therapy program. The changes in body weight, anorectic behaviors and attitudes and endocrine variables (24‐h plasma cortisoml, dexamethasone suppression test, 24‐h plasma luteinizing hormone) were measured. Data indicate that specific anorectic behaviors and attitudes showed significant improvement during inpatient treatment, while attitudes of a more general neurotic scope such as the feeling of insufficiency, general distress, (sexual) anxieties and anancasm did not. On admission 24‐h plasma cortisol levels were elevated, episodic secretory spikes occurred at unusual times and the number was increased, cortisol plasma halflife was increased and non‐suppression of cortisol secretion following the application of dexamethasone was observed. All these parameters normalized already after 10 % weight gain. 24‐h plasma LH pattern showed a close relationship with body weight. Our data suggest that the dysfunctions in anorexia nervosa patients in the hyporthalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal and ‐gonadal axis have little specificity for this disease and are mainly a consequence of nutritional factors and starvation. The relationship between cortisol and LH‐secretion, behavioral and attitudinal variables and weight gain was more complex than previously suggested by others and a positive relationship between the LH secretory pattern and anorectic symptomatology could not be established.