Brain glucose metabolism in eating disorders assessed by positron emission tomography.

OBJECTIVE: As anorectic and bulimic patients present similar clinical and neurobiological symptoms, the purpose of this study was to compare brain glucose metabolism at rest in these patients.

METHODS: Positron emission tomography with (18-F)-fluorodeoxyglucose was used to evaluate cerebral glucose metabolism (CMRglu) in 10 normal-weight bulimic women, in 10 underweight anorectic patients, and in 10 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers.

RESULTS: Absolute global cortical glucose activity was significantly lower in anorectic patients compared with bulimic and control subjects. Anorectic patients compared with normal control subjects also showed higher relative CMRglu in the inferior frontal cortex and in the basal ganglia, and putamen and caudate relative hypermetabolism when compared with bulimic patients. Thus, both eating disorder groups differed from control subjects in low relative parietal values of glucose.

DISCUSSION: While absolute global metabolism seems to be related to weight loss, we can hypothesize either a common parietal cortex dysfunction in eating disorders or a particular sensitivity of this cortex to consequences of eating disturbances.