Acute tryptophan depletion and increased food intake and irritability in bulimia nervosa

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.