Acute tryptophan depletion and increased food intake and irritability in bulimia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE

Data suggest that serotonin activity is reduced in women at normal weight who have bulimia nervosa. The authors tested whether acute perturbations in serotonin activity could alter short-term eating behavior and mood.

METHOD: They examined the effect of acute tryptophan depletion in 10 women with and 10 women without bulimia nervosa.

RESULTS

Women with bulimia nervosa exhibited an increase in caloric intake and mood irritability after acute tryptophan depletion.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that women with bulimia nervosa have an exaggerated or pathological response to transient alterations in serotonin activity.