BRAIN GLUCOSE-METABOLISM IN ANOREXIA-NERVOSA AND AFFECTIVE-DISORDERS - INFLUENCE OF WEIGHT-LOSS OR DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMATOLOGY

Relationships between eating and affective disorders remain complex an d unclear. Brain glucose metabolism of anorectic patients has been dem onstrated to be reduced both globally and regionally, with a particula r relative hypometabolism in the parietal cortex. To explore the possi ble influence of weight loss or depressive symptomatology on brain met abolism, we studied age- and sex-matched low-weight anorectic and depr essed patients, normal-weight depressed patients, and healthy voluntee rs. Absolute global and regional glucose activity levels were reduced in low-weight patients, with the lowest values being found for anorect ic patients. In relative values, anorectic patients showed a significa nt parietal hypometabolism in comparison to control subjects while the y had higher metabolism in the caudate nuclei when compared with the o ther groups. Absolute hypometabolism of glucose seems to be a conseque nce of low weight as it was found in both low-weight anorectic and low -weight depressive patients. In addition, absolute glucose values were significantly correlated with body mass index in all subjects. Future positron emission tomographic studies in psychiatric patients should control for alimentary parameters. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland L td.