PLASMA AMINO-ACID RATIOS RELATED TO BRAIN-SEROTONIN SYNTHESIS IN RESPONSE TO FOOD-INTAKE IN BULIMIA-NERVOSA

Fifteen bulimic women (BN) and 19 healthy female controls (CO) were st udied. The subjects were cross-over treated with either fluoxetine (FX T) or placebo during 4 days. They received, in randomized order, a bre akfast containing pure carbohydrate (CHO) or a protein-rich (PROT) bre akfast following day 3 and 4 of each treatment period. Twenty-nine dif ferent food items were offered for lunch. The fasting serum glucose an d insulin concentrations and the fasting plasma tryptophan (Trp)/large neutral amino acid (LNAA) ratio were slightly higher in BN. The chang es of these metabolic parameters in response to a CHO or PROT breakfas t were similar in both groups. Across breakfast type, the plasma (Trp) .(LNAA) ratio at 120 min after breakfast was higher in BN. Total calor ic intake at lunchtime was less in BN. In CO, less carbohydrate was se lected at lunchtime following the CHO breakfast, and effect that was a bolished by FXT. Breakfast type or FXT did not have any apparent effec t on food intake at lunchtime in BN. This might indicate that bulimic subjects are less sensitive to serotoninergic stimuli than control sub jects.