Re-nutrition in Severe Anorexia Nervosa
In anorexia nervosa (AN) it still remains to be clarified, which psychiatric symptoms are the direct consequence of malnutrition and adaptation to starvation and which are not. There is clinical consensus that depression/anxiety and cognitive impairments in AN mainly are sequelae to the malnutrition. However, this consensus is largely based on experimental starvation studies of healthy subjects back in 1940s and from famine- and food programs in the third world, whereas evidence from studies on AN is lacking. The main objective of the study is in the detail to elucidate the short-term changes in the psychopathological profile, depression, anxiety, and cognitive functions in relations to intensive nutritional rehabilitation with weight gain of 10-30% in a specialized medical stabilization unit. Secondarily, it is examined whether cortisol levels are associated with depression/anxiety symptomatology and cognitive impairments. The hypothesis is that an improvement in nutritional status over a short time leads to clinically significant improvements in psychopathology and cognitive functions, which remain 2-3 months after discharge, making the patients more accessible to psychotherapy.
Start: March 2016