M C Deckelman1, L B Dixon, R R Conley. 1. Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Despite literature citing the frequency of abnormal eating behavior in persons with schizophrenia, little attention has been paid to the comorbidity of eating disorders and schizophrenia. This case review explores the comorbidity of bulimia nervosa and schizophrenia and its possible clinical implications. METHOD: The authors present four case reports of women with rigorously diagnosed schizophrenia who have eating-disordered behavior. RESULTS: The first case describes a woman whose bulimia nervosa clearly preceded the onset of her schizophrenia. The second and third cases describe women who have many characteristics and risk factors for bulimia nervosa and whose bulimic symptoms significantly interact with psychotic symptoms. The fourth case describes a woman with bulimic behavior which is clearly responsive to psychosis. She does not have a history and behavioral profile of true bulimia nervosa. DISCUSSION: These case reports extend support to a model that schizophrenia and bulimia may coexist in a complex, interactive fashion with important clinical implications.
OBJECTIVE: Despite literature citing the frequency of abnormal eating behavior in persons with schizophrenia, little attention has been paid to the comorbidity of eating disorders and schizophrenia. This case review explores the comorbidity of bulimia nervosa and schizophrenia and its possible clinical implications. METHOD: The authors present four case reports of women with rigorously diagnosed schizophrenia who have eating-disordered behavior. RESULTS: The first case describes a woman whose bulimia nervosa clearly preceded the onset of her schizophrenia. The second and third cases describe women who have many characteristics and risk factors for bulimia nervosa and whose bulimic symptoms significantly interact with psychotic symptoms. The fourth case describes a woman with bulimic behavior which is clearly responsive to psychosis. She does not have a history and behavioral profile of true bulimia nervosa. DISCUSSION: These case reports extend support to a model that schizophrenia and bulimia may coexist in a complex, interactive fashion with important clinical implications.