BACKGROUND Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a severe restriction of caloric intake, low body weight, fear of gaining weight or of becoming fat, and disturbance of body image. Pathogenesis of the disorder may include genetic predisposition, hormonal changes and a combination of environmental, psychosocial, and cultural factors. Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. At presen...

This is the first reported case of an adolescent male with anorexia nervosa in Iraq. This disorder is believed to be rare in males across cultures and uncommon for both genders in Arab countries. The patient met the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. He was hospitalized and received medical and psychiatric treatment at local facilities as discussed below and responded well to trea...

Ten cases of primary anorexia nervosa (weight phobia) in males (as against 196 females) have been treated in the United Birmingham Hospitals over 19 years. A discrete syndromes appears to exist with much to support the view that it is the counterpart of primary anorexia nervosa in the female. Six illustrative case histories are described briefly. The heavy loading with consistent abnormalities ...

SuININIARY This is a report of a 22-year-old woman with treated anorexia nervosa who died of complications of acute gastric dilatation that is, infarction and perforation with severe and irreversible shock. Binge eating and drinking, precipitated by emotional crises, contributed to her acute gastric dilatation. This complication of anorexia nervosa lhas been previously reported, but, unlike the...

Bulimia nervosa, a mental illness 4 times more common than anorexia is characterized by binge-eating followed compensatory purging behaviors, which include self-induced vomiting, diuretic abuse, laxative and misuse of insulin. Patients with bulimia nervosa are at risk developing medical complications that affect all body systems, especially the renal electrolyte systems. Behavior cessation can ...

p atients with anorexia appear to have characteristic disturbances of appetite, neuroendocrine function, motor activity, and mood. Since CNS neurotransmitters modulate these systems, it is logical to try to determine whether disturbances of brain chemistry occur in anorexia nervosa. Two major problems, however, have limited progress in investigating brain neurochemistry in anorexia nervosa. Fir...

BACKGROUND Previous studies have provided evidence of food motivation circuitry dysfunction in individuals with anorexia nervosa. However, methodological limitations present challenges to the development of a cohesive neurobiological model of anorexia nervosa. Our goal was to investigate the neural circuitry of appetite dysregulation across states of hunger and satiety in active and weight-rest...

Refeeding oedema in patients with anorexia nervosa is a known but yet under-reported and poorly-understood condition. We illustrate this condition in a 19-year-old girl with anorexia nervosa who developed bipedal oedema after she was started on nutritional therapy. It is important to be aware of the differential diagnoses of oedema in such cases, which includes heart failure and previous diuret...

SuININIARY This is a report of a 22-year-old woman with treated anorexia nervosa who died of complications of acute gastric dilatation that is, infarction and perforation with severe and irreversible shock. Binge eating and drinking, precipitated by emotional crises, contributed to her acute gastric dilatation. This complication of anorexia nervosa lhas been previously reported, but, unlike the...

Two females with severe anorexia nervosa were treated with olanzapine in open trials. Olanzapine was tried because it has caused weight gain in other patient groups. Both anorexic patients had a chronic illness and had failed multiple other treatments. Olanzapine administration was associated with weight gain and maintenance as well as reduced agitation and resistance to treatment. These case h...