Premorbid period of anorexia nervosa was studied in 96 female patients. In 64 cases (group 1) anorexia nervosa was as a separate disease and in 32 cases (group 2) - as a syndrome of endogenous mental disorder. In group 1 premorbid period was characterized by the features of neuropathy and residual organic disorders in combination with accumulation of subjects with personality disorders in the patient's family that promoted development of prolonged neurotic disorders. in group 2 there was hereditary psychosis load, high frequency of obstetrical and other perinatal complications, overvalued ideas and predisposition to autistic games and fantasying. In both groups, psychopathological peculiarities included typical affective, obsessive-phobic, hypochondriac, cenesthopathic and behavioral disorders, of a stable character often provoked by psychotraumatic events.