Case Study: Anorexia Nervosa and Autistic Disorder in an Adolescent Girl

doi:10.1097/00004583-199607000-00021

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Volume 35, Issue 7, July 1996, Pages 937-940

https://doi.org/10.1097/00004583-199607000-00021 Get rights and content

ABSTRACT

The development of anorexia nervosa in a high-functioning, early adolescent, autistic female is described. This case raises the issue of co-occurrence of childhood-onset disorders sharing the phenomena of obsessions and compulsions. The role of dysregulation of the serotonergic neurotransmitter system as a common underlying mechanism in these disorders is suggested. Psychoactive agents affecting the serotonin system and in particular the atypical neuroleptte risperidone may be of value in these disorders. There is added benefit to the combined use of biological and behavioral therapies.

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These investigators concluded that their results do not support the use of risperidone in the weight restoration phase of treatment of young patients with AN.21 The only other study found of the use of risperidone in the treatment of AN was a case report of a 12-year-old girl with autism and AN who was described as benefiting from treatment with risperidone at a dose of 0.5 mg twice daily.22 Very few studies exist on the treatment of AN with quetiapine.
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Increasing attention has been recently devoted to detecting the shared vulnerability between Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) [1–3] upon the evidence of frequent AN comorbidity in ASD [4–7], leading authors to highlight a possible conception of AN as a neurodevelopmental disorder [8], besides propelling interest on the possible overlap between Eating Disorders (EDs) and ASD [1,8,9].
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Our data corroborate the presence of higher subthreshold autism spectrum symptoms among ED participants with respect to HCs, with particularly higher levels among restrictive participants. Relevant correlations between subthreshold autism spectrum symptoms and EDI-2 Subscale also emerged.
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Special SectionCase Study: Anorexia Nervosa and Autistic Disorder in an Adolescent Girl

ABSTRACT

Behav Res Ther

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry

Clin Psychol Rev

Whole blood serotonin in autistic and normal subjects

J Child Psychol Psychiatry

Tourette Syndrome and Human Behavior

A controlled family history study of Tourette syndrome

J Clin Psychiatry

Preliminary observations on the effect of fenfluramine on blood serotonin and symptoms in three autistic boys

N Engl J Med

Are autism and anorexia nervosa related?

Br J Psychiatry

Do some cases of anorexia nervosa reflect underlying autistic-like conditions?

Behav Neurol

Pharmacology of risperidone (R64766), a new antipsychotic with serotonin-52 and dopamine-D2 antagonistic properties

J Pharmacol Exp Ther

Special Section
Case Study: Anorexia Nervosa and Autistic Disorder in an Adolescent Girl

Pharmacology of risperidone (R64766), a new antipsychotic with serotonin-5₂ and dopamine-D₂ antagonistic properties