Various studies have suggested that patients with anorexia nervosa may have cognitive deficits on neuropsychological examination. A battery of tests was administered to 35 patients (34 female, 1 male), diagnosed as suffering from anorexia nervosa (n = 20) or bulimia nervosa (n = 15) during the early stages of admission to a specialized eating disorders unit. Results revealed no significant differences between the anorexia nervosa and bulimia ner'vosa patients on any of the intellectual, neuropsychological, or academic-related tasks that were administered. There was no evidence of cognitive deficits in certain patient groups when compared with theoretical norms.
Dieting disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa have become more prevalent in affluent western societies over recent years (Crisp, Palmer, & Kalucy, 1976; Willi & Grossman, 1983; Russell, 1979; Touyz & Ivison, 1985), and there is now a voluminous literature on various aspects of these disorders. It is often incorrectly assumed that all patients with anorexia nervosa are highly intelligent scholars who do well academically. This has not been substantiated in the literature. The intelligent quotients of patients with anorexia nervosa have been