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.
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