EEG sleep and the cholinergic REM induction test in anorexic and bulimic patients.

The electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep of 20 anorexic patients, 10 bulimic patients, and 10 age-matched healthy controls was studied. In addition, six anorexic patients and six bulimic patients had a cholinergic rapid eye movement (REM) sleep induction test (RIT) performed with the cholinergic agent RS 86. The three samples showed no major differences in sleep patterns. The same held true when attention was focused on patients who additionally met DSM-III criteria for major depression. The RIT results were similar in the patients with eating disorders and in controls, but differed from those reported in depressives. Therefore, the present study found no hints of depression-like sleep patterns in patients with eating disorders.