Review article
Cognitive problems in bulimia

Bulimia nervosa according to ICD-10 belongs to a group of eating disorders. Since bulimia concerns the sphere of mental functioning, neuropsychological diagnosis of cognitive functions in this group of patients seems reasonable. The Stroop test is the most commonly used neuropsychological test to assess cognitive function in patients with the clinical form of bulimia nervosa, in standard and modified versions containing words associated with food and body shape. The literature review showed that in the course of bulimia patients may experience some degree of neuropsychological impairment, but due to the lack of a sufficient number of tests one cannot clearly establish in relation to which functions most cognitive deficits appear. It is observed that in this group of patients deficits occur in the sphere of perception, relating principally to the body shape, illness and emotional functioning. Patients with bulimia are characterized by increased selectivity of attention, particularly to stimuli associated with food and weight. Results of research on memory deficits vary, although attention is particularly drawn to autobiographical memory deficits. Persons with bulimia manifest disorders of executive functions, which are observable as increased impulsivity in the behaviour. Abnormal function of visual-spatial and abstract thinking has not been thoroughly investigated. There were no abnormalities of verbal functions or disturbances in performance in intelligence tests in this group of patients.