A new study published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics explores the role of sexuality in the long-term outcome of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. As with other psychiatric disorders, anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are often comorbid with sexual dysfunctions. Different studies suggest that a relevant percentage of persons with EDs continue to display ED psychopathology for protracted periods of time.

This study aimed to evaluate whether sexual functioning may represent a predictor of response to CBT and a potential indicator of the recovery process in patients with AN and BN.These observations confirmed those of previous studies describing a specific relationship between ED psychopathology and sexual dysfunction and partly contradict the hypothesis that sexual dysfunction in AN is exclusively due to weight loss and secondary hypogonadism.

Source: Journal of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics
Full bibliographic information:
Role of Sexuality in the Outcome of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa: A 3-Year Follow-Up Study. Psychother Psychosom 2017;86:376-378