Am J Psychiatry 1984; 141:1441-1444
Copyright © 1984 by American Psychiatric Association
CSF neurochemistry of women with anorexia nervosa and normal women
RH Gerner, DJ Cohen, L Fairbanks, GM Anderson, JG Young, M Scheinin, M Linnoila, BA Shaywitz and TA Hare
CSF tyrosine, tryptophan, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, 3-methoxy-4-
hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), homovanillic acid (HVA), gamma-aminobutyric
acid, choline, and calcium were compared in 33 anorexic and 14 normal
women. The only significant difference between groups was a lower tyrosine
level in the anorexic patients; their MHPG level was nonsignificantly
higher. No significant group differences in body weight or depressive
subgroup were found. HVA levels were positively related to body weight, and
choline was negatively correlated with anorexia severity. The role of
tyrosine requires further research, but these findings do suggest that HVA
and choline increase with some recovery measures and MHPG is increased with
this illness.
