BRAIN HYPOMETABOLISM OF GLUCOSE IN BULIMIA-NERVOSA

Objective: A cerebral function lateralization has been described in bu limic patients in positron emission tomography (PET) studies realized during a specific cognitive task. The purpose of this study was to eva luate, at rest, brain glucose metabolism in patients with bulimia nerv osa. Method: PET with (18-F)-fluorodeoxyglucose was used to evaluate c erebra! glucose metabolism in 11 normal-weight bulimic girls compared to 11 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Patients were diagnosed following DSM-IV and were off psychoactive medication. Results: In co mparison with control subjects, bulimic patients showed global and reg ional absolute hypometabolism of glucose. In relative values, only par ietal cortex metabolism was significantly lower in bulimic patients. N o correlation was found within groups for absolute or relative cerebra l glucose metabolic rates (rCMRglu) and body mass index (BMI) anxiety scores, or Hamilton scores of depression. Discussion: Since previous s tudies have demonstrated similar disturbances in anorectic patients, w e hypothesized that these observations could be a consequence of neuro biological perturbations following nutritional deficiencies or a parti cular cerebral dysfunction in eating disorders. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.