Biological correlates of eating disorders

Bulimia nervosa (BN) and anorexia nervosa (AN) are discrete psychiatric disorders of which their psychopathophysiological mechanisms are becoming increasingly elucidated. Although sociocultural and familial factors are known to play important roles in their etiology, certain symptom-related physiological alterations have been recently demonstrated. The importance of distinguishing trait- (or primary) versus state- (or secondary) related disturbances, particularly diet-induced, continues to be a major focus of research.