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Biomedical subjects

S E McCluskey

Publications and source records attributed to S E McCluskey.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Basal activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and cognitive function in anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa is associated with abnormalities in neuroendocrine function including sustained hypercortisolism, which has been shown elsewhere to be associated with impairment of function in learning, memory and attention. Cognitive impairment has also been observed in anorexia nervosa. These effects may be mediated in part through cortisol effects on the hippocampus, which is dense with glucocorticoid receptors. We investigated the association between cortisol levels and cognitive function in anorexia nervosa by measuring both 24-hour urinary cortisol counts and performance on tasks of learning, memory and attention in patients suffering from the disorder. Cortisol secretion was shown to be significantly higher in the patient group than in a matched control group and patients were also shown to be impaired in memory and attention. However, no correlations were found between the cognitive deficits and cortisol measures. It is suggested that more sensitive profiling of cortisol levels throughout the circadian cycle may be useful in future studies of cognitive function in anorexia nervosa.

Adult↗

Eating disorder in women admitted to hospital following deliberate self-poisoning.

Measures of abnormal eating behaviour in 48 women referred for psychiatric assessment following an act of deliberate self-poisoning (subjects) were compared with those in 50 women attending an accident and emergency department following minor accidental injury (controls). Disordered eating behaviour was significantly more prevalent in the subject group, even when the effect of depression was removed. Four subjects fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa, but none of the subjects met the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. The prevalence of obesity was the same in both subject and control groups. The degree of abnormal eating was very strongly correlated with a measure of inwardly directed irritability in both subjects and controls, and was strongly associated with measures of impulsiveness, outwardly directed irritability and anxiety in subjects.

Adolescent↗

Kallmann's syndrome and anorexia nervosa: a diagnostic dilemma.

Kallmann's syndrome is a rare cause of primary amenorrhea, with impairment of release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and anosmia. We present a case in which Kallmann's syndrome had been diagnosed, but who also fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. We discuss the diagnostic dilemma.

Adult↗

Pre-menarchal bulimia nervosa.

Although pre-pubertal anorexia nervosa has been well described, pre-pubertal bulimic behaviour in the context of this disorder appears to be uncommon. There have been no published reports of pre-pubertal bulimia nervosa occurring independently. Of 323 patients with bulimia nervosa attending an eating disorders research clinic between 1980 and 1989, the authors identified six patients who described pre-menarchal binge eating in the absence of a concurrent history of anorexia nervosa or massive obesity. Three (0.93%) of these patients described a pre-menarchal onset of bulimia nervosa, but there was no evidence that they were pre-pubertal. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Anorexia nervosa in a patient with XY gonadal dysgenesis.

This is the first report of a case of anorexia nervosa in a woman with XY gonadal dysgenesis. Anorexia nervosa is a potential complication of gonadal dysgenesis, stemming not only from the disorder itself but from its investigation and treatment.

Adult↗