Background: Abnormalities of brain serotonin (5-HT) transmission have been implicated in the pathophysiology of bulimia nervosa (BN), but no conclusive data have yet been provided. The purpose of this study was to assess 5-HT transmission via the measurement of the prolactin (PRL) response to the specific 5-HT releasing agent D-fenfluramine (D-FEN) in both patients with BN and comparison subjects.
Methods: According to a double-blind placebo-controlled design, plasma PRL response to D-FEN was measured in 14 drug-free bulimics and 14 matched healthy controls. In both patients and controls, eating-related psychopathology, depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and aggressiveness were measured by rating scales.
Results: Baseline plasma levels of PRL and 17 beta-oestradiol were significantly reduced in bulimic patients, whereas basal plasma levels of cortisol did not significantly differ from healthy controls. PRL response to D-FEN was not different between patients and controls as groups, but it was significantly blunted in bulimics with high frequency bingeing (> or = 2 binge episodes per day; N = 7) as compared to both those with low frequency bingeing (< or = 1 binge episode per day; N = 7) and matched controls. A significant negative correlation emerged between the frequency of binge episodes and the hormone response to D-FEN. Moreover, although patients scored higher than healthy subjects on rating scales assessing depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and aggressiveness, no significant correlation was found between these measures and the PRL response to D-FEN.
Conclusions: These results support the idea that serotonin transmission is impaired in bulimic patients with frequent binge episodes.