EFFECT OF MOOD AND FOOD CUES ON INFORMATION-PROCESSING IN WOMEN WITH BULIMIA-NERVOSA AND CONTROLS

Information-processing speed and cue reactivity were evaluated in wome n with bulimia nervosa and controls in response to neutral, mood, and food cues in isolation, and mood and food cues in combination. Signifi cant differences were consistently observed between women with bulimia nervosa and control women on information-processing speed for food/bo dy-related words, but not for words unrelated to food/body concerns. A s expected, women with bulimia nervosa demonstrated slower processing of information related to food/body concerns. In addition, the present ation of mood and food cues affected speed of information processing. Especially for women with bulimia nervosa, information processing was slowest when either mood or food cues were presented in isolation. Sig nificant cue reactivity was also observed, again especially for women with bulimia nervosa. In conclusion, both transient and more enduring subject characteristics affected information-processing speed. Moreove r, the way transient factors were presented significantly affected spe ed of information processing. This suggests a more complex relationshi p between cue presentation and information processing than was anticip ated.