Psychopharmacotherapy of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder.

Pharmacotherapy for anorexia nervosa is considered to be of limited efficacy. However, many studies suffer methodological limitations, and the utility of newer drugs in the treatment of anorexia has not been examined yet. Although there have been more fruitful investigations on the efficacy of medication in the management of bulimia nervosa, there are still many unresolved issues regarding the optimal management of partial remission during the acute treatment phase and the intensity and duration of pharmacotherapy to achieve optimal prophylaxis. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) control the binge urges in binge-eating disorder, but more trials are required to investigate the utility of SSRIs and other agents in maintenance treatment. We review the current status of psychopharmacotherapy for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder and evaluate the merits of newer agents in the treatment of these disorders.