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Gaiaschi L, Priori EC, Mensi MM, Verri M, Buonocore D, Parisi S, Hernandez LNQ, Brambilla I, Ferrari B, De Luca F, Gola F, Rancati G, Capone L, Andriulo A, Visonà SD, Marseglia GL, Borgatti R, Bottone MG. New perspectives on the role of biological factors in anorexia nervosa: Brain volume reduction or oxidative stress, which came first? Neurobiol Dis 2024; 199:106580. [PMID: 38942323 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder (ED) that has seen an increase in its incidence in the last thirty years. Compared to other psychosomatic disorders, ED can be responsible for many major medical complications, moreover, in addition to the various systemic impairments, patients with AN undergo morphological and physiological changes affecting the cerebral cortex. Through immunohistochemical studies on portions of postmortem human brain of people affected by AN and healthy individuals, and western blot studies on leucocytes of young patients and healthy controls, this study investigated the role in the afore-mentioned processes of altered redox state. The results showed that the brain volume reduction in AN could be due to an increase in the rate of cell death, mainly by apoptosis, in which mitochondria, main cellular organelles affected by a decreased dietary intake, and a highly compromised intracellular redox balance, may play a pivotal role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovica Gaiaschi
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Erica Cecilia Priori
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Integrated Physiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Martina Maria Mensi
- Department of Sciences of the Nervous System and of Behavior, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Manuela Verri
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Daniela Buonocore
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Sandra Parisi
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Lilian Nathalie Quintero Hernandez
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Ilaria Brambilla
- Department of Clinical surgical diagnostic and pediatric sciences, Foundation IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Beatrice Ferrari
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Fabrizio De Luca
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Federica Gola
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Giulia Rancati
- High-Complexity Rehabilitation Unit, "Casa di Cura Villa Esperia", Viale dei Salici 35, 27052 Godiasco PV, Italy
| | - Luca Capone
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Adele Andriulo
- High-Complexity Rehabilitation Unit, "Casa di Cura Villa Esperia", Viale dei Salici 35, 27052 Godiasco PV, Italy
| | - Silvia Damiana Visonà
- Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Via Forlanini 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Gian Luigi Marseglia
- Department of Clinical surgical diagnostic and pediatric sciences, Foundation IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Renato Borgatti
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Bottone
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
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Mills R, Hyam L, Schmidt U. Early intervention for eating disorders. Curr Opin Psychiatry 2024:00001504-990000000-00136. [PMID: 39146555 DOI: 10.1097/yco.0000000000000963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Research on early intervention for eating disorders has started to gain traction and examples of this in practice are increasing. This review summarizes findings over the past 3 years, focusing on the clinical effectiveness of early intervention in practice and the barriers and facilitators to its implementation. RECENT FINDINGS Recent developments in early intervention for eating disorders can be divided into three broad themes: research that has examined the efficacy of early intervention pathways in practice, research that has informed understanding of the target patient groups of early intervention (via clinical staging models, e.g.), and research that has suggested new ways to progress early intervention, towards becoming a standard part of best practice care. SUMMARY Early intervention pathways have shown promising clinical outcomes and are viewed positively by patients, clinicians and other stakeholders. However, more robust trials of their efficacy, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness are needed. Additionally, barriers to early intervention have been identified (e.g. delayed help-seeking); research must now develop and evaluate strategies to address these. Finally, the early intervention models in practice are underpinned partly by clinical staging models for eating disorders, which require further development, especially for eating disorders other than anorexia nervosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regan Mills
- Department of Clinical, Education and Health Psychology, University College London
- Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience
| | - Lucy Hyam
- Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience
| | - Ulrike Schmidt
- Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience
- Eating Disorders Outpatient Service, Maudsley Hospital, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
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Breton E, Khundrakpam B, Jeon S, Evans A, Booij L. Cortical thickness and childhood eating behaviors: differences according to sex and age, and relevance for eating disorders. Eat Weight Disord 2024; 29:47. [PMID: 39028377 PMCID: PMC11271398 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-024-01675-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This study investigated the association between childhood eating behaviors and cortical morphology, in relation to sex and age, in a community sample. METHODS Neuroimaging data of 71 children (mean age = 9.9 ± 1.4 years; 39 boys/32 girls) were obtained from the Nathan Kline Institute-Rockland Sample. Emotional overeating, food fussiness, and emotional undereating were assessed using the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Cortical thickness was obtained at 81,924 vertices covering the entire cortex. Generalized Linear Mixed Models were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS There was a significant effect of sex in the association between cortical thickness and emotional overeating (localized at the right postcentral and bilateral superior parietal gyri). Boys with more emotional overeating presented cortical thickening, whereas the opposite was observed in girls (p < 0.05). Different patterns of association were identified between food fussiness and cortical thickness (p < 0.05). The left rostral middle frontal gyrus displayed a positive correlation with food fussiness from 6 to 8 years, but a negative correlation from 12 to 14 years. Emotional undereating was associated with cortical thickening at the left precuneus, left middle temporal gyrus, and left insula (p < 0.05) with no effect of sex or age. CONCLUSIONS Leveraging on a community sample, findings support distinct patterns of associations between eating behaviors and cortical thickness, depending on sex and age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edith Breton
- Department of Fundamental Sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Canada
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Budhachandra Khundrakpam
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Seun Jeon
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Alan Evans
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Linda Booij
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
- Eating Disorders Continuum, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6605 Boul. LaSalle, Verdun, H4H1R3, Canada.
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Adams KL, Mandy W, Catmur C, Bird G. Potential mechanisms underlying the association between feeding and eating disorders and autism. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 162:105717. [PMID: 38754718 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
There is a reliable association between autism and Feeding and Eating Disorders. Concerningly, where these two conditions co-occur, clinical outcomes of Feeding and Eating Disorders are significantly worse, and treatment less effective, than when the Feeding and Eating Disorders occur in neurotypical individuals. Problematically, the reason for the association between autism and Feeding and Eating Disorders is poorly understood, which constrains advances in clinical care. This paper outlines several possible mechanisms that may underlie the observed association and suggests ways in which they may be empirically tested. Mechanisms are split into those producing an artefactual association, and those reflecting a genuine link between conditions. Artefactual associations may be due to conceptual overlap in both diagnostic criteria and measurement, Feeding and Eating Disorders causing transient autistic traits, or the association being non-specific in nature. A genuine association between autism and Feeding and Eating Disorders may be due to common causal factors, autism directly or indirectly causing Feeding and Eating Disorders, and Feeding and Eating Disorders being a female manifestation of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiera Louise Adams
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - William Mandy
- Division of Psychology and Language, University College London, London, UK
| | - Caroline Catmur
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Geoffrey Bird
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Wronski ML, Bernardoni F, Bahnsen K, Seidel M, Arold D, Doose A, Steinhäuser JL, Borucki K, Breithaupt L, Lawson EA, Holsen LM, Weidner K, Roessner V, King JA, Plessow F, Ehrlich S. Dynamic Amygdala Nuclei Alterations in Relation to Weight Status in Anorexia Nervosa Are Mediated by Leptin. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 63:624-639. [PMID: 37797814 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2023.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The amygdaloid complex is a subcortical limbic group of distinct nuclei. In a previous patient-control study, differential amygdala nuclei alterations were found in acute anorexia nervosa (AN); rostral-medial nuclei involved in fear and reward processing were substantially reduced in volume and associated with hypoleptinemia, a key neuroendocrine characteristic of AN. Here, longitudinal amygdala nuclei alterations in AN were investigated in relation to weight status and their associations with leptin levels. METHOD T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging scans were longitudinally processed with FreeSurfer. Amygdala nuclei volumes in young female patients with acute AN before and after short-term weight restoration (n = 110, >14% body mass index increase over 3 months) and female participants with a history of AN (n = 79, long-term [mean 5 years] weight recovered) were compared with female healthy control participants (n = 271) using linear mixed effects models. RESULTS Rostral-medially clustered amygdala nuclei volumes, accessory basal, cortical, medial nuclei, and corticoamygdaloid transition, increased during short-term weight restoration (Cohen's d range 0.18-0.30). However, volumetric normalization across nuclei was heterogeneous. Right cortical, medial nuclei, bilateral corticoamygdaloid transitions, and anterior amygdaloid areas were only partially normalized following short-term weight restoration. Right anterior amygdaloid area remained reduced after long-term weight recovery compared with control participants (d = 0.36). Leptin increase, accompanying short-term weight restoration, mediated the effect of weight gain on volumetric increase in left corticoamygdaloid transition and bilateral medial nuclei. CONCLUSION Rostral-medially clustered amygdala nuclei show pronounced volumetric increase but incomplete normalization in AN during and after short-term weight restoration. Leptin increase may be relevant for the recovery of specific amygdala nuclei in addition to nutritional rehabilitation, indicating links between amygdala substructure and leptin dynamics of potential pathophysiological and clinical relevance in AN. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY The amygdala plays a critical role in processing fearful and rewarding stimuli, and alterations in the amygdala are associated with anorexia nervosa. In this study, the authors measured amygdala nuclei volumes in female patients with acute anorexia nervosa undergoing weight-restoration treatment (n = 110), long-term weight-recovered individuals with anorexia (n = 79), and healthy control participants (n = 271). Structural magnetic resonance imaging revealed that volumes of specific nuclei, clustered in the rostral-medial amygdala, were substantially reduced in acute anorexia nervosa and only partially normalized following weight restoration treatment. Residual reductions in volume persisted even after long-term weight-recovery, compared to healthy control participants. Short-term weight restoration was associated with increases in the neurohormone leptin, and increasing leptin levels were found to mediate the positive impact of weight gain on increased amygdala volume over the treatment course. DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STATEMENT We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. One or more of the authors of this paper received support from a program designed to increase minority representation in science. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. We actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our author group. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our reference list. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our reference list. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Louis Wronski
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Fabio Bernardoni
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Klaas Bahnsen
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Maria Seidel
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Dominic Arold
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Arne Doose
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jonas L Steinhäuser
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katrin Borucki
- Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Lauren Breithaupt
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Laura M Holsen
- Division of Women's Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kerstin Weidner
- University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Joseph A King
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Franziska Plessow
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany; University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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Voelz C, Schaack LEM, Kogel V, Beyer C, Seitz J, Trinh S. Reversibility of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Markers During Long-Term Glucose Starvation in Astrocytes. J Mol Neurosci 2024; 74:53. [PMID: 38750341 PMCID: PMC11096255 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-024-02223-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated a brain volume decrease linked to long-term starvation in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). Food intake is critically diminished in this disorder, leading to one of the highest mortality rates within the psychiatric disease spectrum. As reported in animal models, astrocytes seem to be the most affected cell type in AN. In a recently established primary cell culture model, an elevated unfolded protein response (UPR) was observed in long-term glucose semi-starved astrocytes. A well-functioning protein machinery is essential for every cell, and prolonged UPR will lead to cell death. As a nucleic acid stress-sensing pathway with the activator located in the endoplasmic reticulum, the regulation of the cGAS-STING pathway (cyclic GMP-AMP synthase/stimulator of interferon genes) was additionally investigated in the starvation context. In the current study, a glucose semi-starvation protocol of 15 days, during which cells were supplied with 2 mM glucose in the medium, was prolonged with an additional 6-day long recovery period. Our findings showed that increased UPR mRNA expression was reversible after re-establishing the standard glucose concentration of 25 mM. Furthermore, we were able to verify the presence of cGAS and STING in astrocytes with a characteristic presence of cGAS in the astrocyte nucleus during starvation. A correlation between STING and the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) could be established, hinting at a conditional presence of STING with a specific astrocyte phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Voelz
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Lena E M Schaack
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Vanessa Kogel
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Cordian Beyer
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jochen Seitz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Stefanie Trinh
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Feusner JD, Nowacka A, Ly R, Luders E, Kurth F. Corpus callosum morphology and relationships to illness phenotypes in individuals with anorexia nervosa. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11112. [PMID: 38750237 PMCID: PMC11096409 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61841-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa is an often-severe psychiatric illness characterized by significantly low body weight, fear of gaining weight, and distorted body image. Multiple neuroimaging studies have shown abnormalities in cortical morphology, mostly associated with the starvation state. Investigations of white matter, while more limited in number, have suggested global and regional volume reductions, as well as abnormal diffusivity in multiple regions including the corpus callosum. Yet, no study has specifically examined thickness of the corpus callosum, a large white matter tract instrumental in the inter-hemispheric integration of sensory, motor, and cognitive information. We analyzed MRI data from 48 adolescents and adults with anorexia nervosa and 50 healthy controls, all girls/women, to compare corpus callosum thickness and examined relationships with body mass index (BMI), illness duration, and eating disorder symptoms (controlling for BMI). There were no significant group differences in corpus callosum thickness. In the anorexia nervosa group, severity of body shape concerns was significantly, positively correlated with callosal thickness in the rostrum, genu, rostral body, isthmus, and splenium. In addition, there were significant positive correlations between eating disorder-related obsessions and compulsions and thickness of the anterior midbody, rostral body, and splenium. There were no significant associations between callosal thickness and BMI or illness duration. In sum, those with AN with worse concerns about bodily appearance and worse eating disorder-related obsessive thought patterns and compulsive behaviours have regionally thicker corpus callosum, independent of current weight status. These findings provide important neurobiological links to key, specific eating disorder behavioural phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie D Feusner
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Alicja Nowacka
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ronald Ly
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Eileen Luders
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Florian Kurth
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Departments of Neuroradiology and Radiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
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Seidel M, Geisler D, King JA, Winter M, Poller NW, Arold D, Gramatke K, Roessner V, Ehrlich S. Dynamic Changes in Local Brain Connectivity and Activity: A Longitudinal Study in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:447-458. [PMID: 38301885 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Resting-state functional connectivity analysis has been used to study disruptions in neural circuitries underlying eating disorder symptoms. Research has shown resting-state functional connectivity to be altered during the acute phase of anorexia nervosa (AN), but little is known about the biological mechanisms underlying neural changes associated with weight restoration. The goal of the current study was to investigate longitudinal changes in regional homogeneity (ReHo) among neighboring voxels, degree centrality (DC) (a voxelwise whole brain correlation coefficient), voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) (measuring the synchronization between hemispheres), and the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations associated with weight gain during AN treatment. METHODS Resting-state functional connectivity data were acquired and analyzed from a sample of 174 female volunteers: 87 underweight patients with AN that were scanned before treatment and again after at least 12% body mass index increase, as well as 87 age-matched healthy control participants. RESULTS Longitudinal changes in ReHo, DC, VMHC, and the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations were observed in most regions identified to differ between patients with AN before treatment and healthy control participants. However, the degree of normalization varied for each parameter, ranging from 9% of all clusters in DC to 66% in VMHC. Longitudinal changes in ReHo and VMHC showed a linear association weight gain. CONCLUSIONS Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging measures, including ReHo, DC, VMHC, and the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations, show varying degrees of recovery after short-term weight restoration. Although only some of these changes were related to weight gain, our results provide an overall positive message, suggesting that weight restoration is associated with changes in functional brain measures that point toward normalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Seidel
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Daniel Geisler
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Joseph A King
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Marie Winter
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nico W Poller
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Dominic Arold
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katrin Gramatke
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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9
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Aly M, Ishihara T, Torii S, Kamijo K. Being underweight, academic performance and cognitive control in undergraduate women. Arch Womens Ment Health 2024; 27:249-258. [PMID: 38082003 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-023-01410-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
The prevalence of underweight among young women is a serious international health issue. However, the evidence on how being underweight negatively affects brain health and cognition is still unclear. This study investigated the association between underweight status, academic performance, and neurocognitive control in young Japanese women using a cross-sectional design. We analyzed the academic performance of female undergraduates, comparing underweight and healthy-weight groups (n = 43; age 18-23 years, M = 21.1, SD = 1.3) based on their grade point average (GPA). We also analyzed their error-related negativity (ERN), an electrophysiological measure that potentially reflects academic performance, during an arrowhead version of the flanker task to assess cognitive control of action monitoring. Participants with a low body mass index were found to have lower GPAs. Furthermore, the underweight students exhibited smaller ERN amplitudes, which indicates decreased cognitive control in action monitoring. These findings suggest that a healthy weight status is essential for effective cognitive functioning and academic success in young adult women, among whom being underweight is a serious health problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Aly
- Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Educational Sciences and Sports Psychology, Faculty of Physical Education, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Toru Ishihara
- Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Suguru Torii
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan
| | - Keita Kamijo
- Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Japan.
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Tose K, Takamura T, Isobe M, Hirano Y, Sato Y, Kodama N, Yoshihara K, Maikusa N, Moriguchi Y, Noda T, Mishima R, Kawabata M, Noma S, Takakura S, Gondo M, Kakeda S, Takahashi M, Ide S, Adachi H, Hamatani S, Kamashita R, Sudo Y, Matsumoto K, Nakazato M, Numata N, Hamamoto Y, Shoji T, Muratsubaki T, Sugiura M, Murai T, Fukudo S, Sekiguchi A. Systematic reduction of gray matter volume in anorexia nervosa, but relative enlargement with clinical symptoms in the prefrontal and posterior insular cortices: a multicenter neuroimaging study. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:891-901. [PMID: 38246936 PMCID: PMC11176065 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02378-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Although brain morphological abnormalities have been reported in anorexia nervosa (AN), the reliability and reproducibility of previous studies were limited due to insufficient sample sizes, which prevented exploratory analysis of the whole brain as opposed to regions of interest (ROIs). Objective was to identify brain morphological abnormalities in AN and the association with severity of AN by brain structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a multicenter study, and to conduct exploratory analysis of the whole brain. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional multicenter study using T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) data collected between May 2014 and February 2019 in Japan. We analyzed MRI data from 103 female AN patients (58 anorexia nervosa restricting type [ANR] and 45 anorexia nervosa binge-purging type [ANBP]) and 102 age-matched female healthy controls (HC). MRI data from five centers were preprocessed using the latest harmonization method to correct for intercenter differences. Gray matter volume (GMV) was calculated from T1WI data of all participants. Of the 205 participants, we obtained severity of eating disorder symptom scores from 179 participants, including 87 in the AN group (51 ANR, 36 ANBP) and 92 HC using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) 6.0. GMV reduction were observed in the AN brain, including the bilateral cerebellum, middle and posterior cingulate gyrus, supplementary motor cortex, precentral gyrus medial segment, and thalamus. In addition, the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), rostral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and posterior insula volumes showed positive correlations with severity of symptoms. This multicenter study was conducted with a large sample size to identify brain morphological abnormalities in AN. The findings provide a better understanding of the pathogenesis of AN and have potential for the development of brain imaging biomarkers of AN. Trial Registration: UMIN000017456. https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/icdr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000019303 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Keima Tose
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tsunehiko Takamura
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masanori Isobe
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Hirano
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Suita, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Sato
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
| | - Naoki Kodama
- Division of Psychosomatic Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Occupational and Environment Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Kazufumi Yoshihara
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Norihide Maikusa
- Center for Evolutionary Cognitive Sciences, Graduate School of Art and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshiya Moriguchi
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomomi Noda
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ryo Mishima
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Michiko Kawabata
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shun'ichi Noma
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
- Nomakokoro Clinic, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shu Takakura
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Motoharu Gondo
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Shingo Kakeda
- Department of Radiology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Aomori, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Takahashi
- Division of Psychosomatic Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Occupational and Environment Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Satoru Ide
- Department of Radiology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Adachi
- Department of Neurology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Sayo Hamatani
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Suita, Japan
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Rio Kamashita
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Suita, Japan
| | - Yusuke Sudo
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Koji Matsumoto
- Department of Radiology, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Michiko Nakazato
- Department of Psychiatry, International University of Health and Welfare, School of Medicine, Narita, Japan
| | - Noriko Numata
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Suita, Japan
- Department of Cognitive Behavioral Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yumi Hamamoto
- Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
- Department of Human Brain Science, Institute of Development, Aging, and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tomotaka Shoji
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Nagamachi Hospital, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Muratsubaki
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Motoaki Sugiura
- Department of Human Brain Science, Institute of Development, Aging, and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Cognitive Sciences Lab, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Toshiya Murai
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shin Fukudo
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Atsushi Sekiguchi
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.
- Center for Eating Disorder Research and Information, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.
- Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.
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11
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Brooks SJ, Dahl K, Dudley-Jones R, Schiöth HB. A neuroinflammatory compulsivity model of anorexia nervosa (NICAN). Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 159:105580. [PMID: 38417395 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- S J Brooks
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Sweden; School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, UK; Neuroscience Research Laboratory (NeuRL), Department of Psychology, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - K Dahl
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - R Dudley-Jones
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, UK
| | - H B Schiöth
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Sweden
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12
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Lyall AE, Breithaupt L, Ji C, Haidar A, Kotler E, Becker KR, Plessow F, Slattery M, Thomas JJ, Holsen LM, Misra M, Eddy KT, Lawson EA. Lower region-specific gray matter volume in females with atypical anorexia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord 2024; 57:951-966. [PMID: 38366701 PMCID: PMC11018478 DOI: 10.1002/eat.24168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Few studies have focused on brain structure in atypical anorexia nervosa (atypical AN). This study investigates differences in gray matter volume (GMV) between females with anorexia nervosa (AN) and atypical AN, and healthy controls (HC). METHOD Structural magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired for 37 AN, 23 atypical AN, and 41 HC female participants. Freesurfer was used to extract GMV, cortical thickness, and surface area for six brain lobes and associated cortical regions of interest (ROI). Primary analyses employed linear mixed-effects models to compare group differences in lobar GMV, followed by secondary analyses on ROIs within significant lobes. We also explored relationships between cortical gray matter and both body mass index (BMI) and symptom severity. RESULTS Our primary analyses revealed significant lower GMV in frontal, temporal and parietal areas (FDR < .05) in AN and atypical AN when compared to HC. Lobar GMV comparisons were non-significant between atypical AN and AN. The parietal lobe exhibited the greatest proportion of affected cortical ROIs in both AN versus HC and atypical AN versus HC. BMI, but not symptom severity, was found to be associated with cortical GMV in the parietal, frontal, temporal, and cingulate lobes. No significant differences were observed in cortical thickness or surface area. DISCUSSION We observed lower GMV in frontal, temporal, and parietal areas, when compared to HC, but no differences between AN and atypical AN. This indicates potentially overlapping structural phenotypes between these disorders and evidence of brain changes among those who are not below the clinical underweight threshold. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE Despite individuals with atypical anorexia nervosa presenting above the clinical weight threshold, lower cortical gray matter volume was observed in partial, temporal, and frontal cortices, compared to healthy individuals. No significant differences were found in cortical gray matter volume between anorexia nervosa and atypical anorexia nervosa. This underscores the importance of continuing to assess and target weight gain in clinical care, even for those who are presenting above the low-weight clinical criteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda E. Lyall
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA
- Mass General Brigham Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Research Collaborative, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA
| | - Lauren Breithaupt
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, MA
- Mass General Brigham Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Research Collaborative, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA
| | - Chunni Ji
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, MA
- Mass General Brigham Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Research Collaborative, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA
- Division of Women’s Health, Department of Medicine, and Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Anastasia Haidar
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA
| | - Elana Kotler
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA
| | - Kendra R Becker
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, MA
- Mass General Brigham Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Research Collaborative, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA
| | - Franziska Plessow
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA
- Mass General Brigham Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Research Collaborative, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA
| | - Meghan Slattery
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA
| | - Jennifer J. Thomas
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, MA
- Mass General Brigham Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Research Collaborative, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA
| | - Laura M. Holsen
- Mass General Brigham Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Research Collaborative, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA
- Division of Women’s Health, Department of Medicine, and Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Madhusmita Misra
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA
- Mass General Brigham Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Research Collaborative, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA
| | - Kamryn T. Eddy
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, MA
- Mass General Brigham Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Research Collaborative, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA
| | - Elizabeth A. Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA
- Mass General Brigham Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Research Collaborative, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA
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13
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Himmerich H, Treasure J. Anorexia nervosa: diagnostic, therapeutic, and risk biomarkers in clinical practice. Trends Mol Med 2024; 30:350-360. [PMID: 38331700 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2024.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
In anorexia nervosa (AN), measurable biological parameters can inform the process of treating patients. Such biomarkers include established laboratory parameters as well as a range of potential future biomarkers, including genetic, metabolomic, microbiomic, endocrine, immunological, hematological, electrophysiological, and neuroimaging parameters. In this opinion article we discuss how these biomarkers can support diagnosic and therapeutic processes at specific steps during the AN treatment cycle, that is, the diagnosis, diagnostic specification, risk management, choice of therapy, therapy monitoring, and treatment review. History-taking, physical and neuropsychological examination, clinical observation, and judgment about treatment success by the patient, their carers, and members of the multidisciplinary team are essential to interpret laboratory and imaging data appropriately and to assess the full clinical picture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hubertus Himmerich
- Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders (CREW), Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Janet Treasure
- Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders (CREW), Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
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14
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Berner LA, Shevlin BRK. Restoring Weight and Brain Function: Intrinsic Neural Activity and Connectivity Alterations as State Markers of Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:375-376. [PMID: 38583931 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Berner
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
| | - Blair R K Shevlin
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
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15
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Ching CRK, Kang MJY, Thompson PM. Large-Scale Neuroimaging of Mental Illness. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 38554248 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2024_462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
Neuroimaging has provided important insights into the brain variations related to mental illness. Inconsistencies in prior studies, however, call for methods that lead to more replicable and generalizable brain markers that can reliably predict illness severity, treatment course, and prognosis. A paradigm shift is underway with large-scale international research teams actively pooling data and resources to drive consensus findings and test emerging methods aimed at achieving the goals of precision psychiatry. In parallel with large-scale psychiatric genomics studies, international consortia combining neuroimaging data are mapping the transdiagnostic brain signatures of mental illness on an unprecedented scale. This chapter discusses the major challenges, recent findings, and a roadmap for developing better neuroimaging-based tools and markers for mental illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R K Ching
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging & Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
| | - Melody J Y Kang
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging & Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging & Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
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16
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Keeler JL, Bahnsen K, Wronski ML, Bernardoni F, Tam F, Arold D, King JA, Kolb T, Poitz DM, Roessner V, Treasure J, Himmerich H, Ehrlich S. Longitudinal changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) but not cytokines contribute to hippocampal recovery in anorexia nervosa above increases in body mass index. Psychol Med 2024:1-12. [PMID: 38450444 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291724000394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physical sequelae of anorexia nervosa (AN) include a marked reduction in whole brain volume and subcortical structures such as the hippocampus. Previous research has indicated aberrant levels of inflammatory markers and growth factors in AN, which in other populations have been shown to influence hippocampal integrity. METHODS Here we investigated the influence of concentrations of two pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α] and interleukin-6 [IL-6]) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on the whole hippocampal volume, as well as the volumes of three regions (the hippocampal body, head, and tail) and 18 subfields bilaterally. Investigations occurred both cross-sectionally between acutely underweight adolescent/young adult females with AN (acAN; n = 82) and people recovered from AN (recAN; n = 20), each independently pairwise age-matched with healthy controls (HC), and longitudinally in acAN after partial renourishment (n = 58). Hippocampal subfield volumes were quantified using FreeSurfer. Concentrations of molecular factors were analyzed in linear models with hippocampal (subfield) volumes as the dependent variable. RESULTS Cross-sectionally, there was no evidence for an association between IL-6, TNF-α, or BDNF and between-group differences in hippocampal subfield volumes. Longitudinally, increasing concentrations of BDNF were positively associated with longitudinal increases in bilateral global hippocampal volumes after controlling for age, age2, estimated total intracranial volume, and increases in body mass index (BMI). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that increases in BDNF may contribute to global hippocampal recovery over and above increases in BMI during renourishment. Investigations into treatments targeted toward increasing BDNF in AN may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Louise Keeler
- Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders (CREW), Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Klaas Bahnsen
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Marie-Louis Wronski
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Fabio Bernardoni
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Friederike Tam
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Eating Disorder Treatment and Research Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Dominic Arold
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Joseph A King
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Theresa Kolb
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - David M Poitz
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Janet Treasure
- Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders (CREW), Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Hubertus Himmerich
- Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders (CREW), Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Eating Disorder Treatment and Research Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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17
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Collantoni E, Alberti F, Dahmen B, von Polier G, Konrad K, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, Favaro A, Seitz J. Intra-individual cortical networks in Anorexia Nervosa: Evidence from a longitudinal dataset. EUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW 2024; 32:298-309. [PMID: 37876109 DOI: 10.1002/erv.3043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This work investigates cortical thickness (CT) and gyrification patterns in Anorexia Nervosa (AN) before and after short-term weight restoration using graph theory tools. METHODS 38 female adolescents with AN underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging scans at baseline and after - on average - 3.5 months following short-term weight restoration while 53 age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were scanned once. Graph measures were compared between groups and longitudinally within the AN group. Associations with clinical measures such as age of onset, duration of illness, BMI standard deviation score (BMI-SDS), and longitudinal weight changes were tested via stepwise regression. RESULTS Cortical thickness graphs of patients with acute AN displayed lower modularity and small-world index (SWI) than HCs. Modularity recovered after weight gain. Reduced global efficiency and SWI were observed in patients at baseline compared to HCs based on gyrification networks. Significant associations between local clustering of CT at admission and BMI-SDS, and clustering/global efficiency of gyrification and duration of illness emerged. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate a shift towards less organised CT networks in patients with acute AN. After weight recovery, the disarrangement seems to be partially reduced. However, longer-term follow-ups are needed to determine whether cortical organizational patterns fully return to normal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Collantoni
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
- Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Brigitte Dahmen
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Georg von Polier
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Kerstin Konrad
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Section Neuropsychology, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Angela Favaro
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
- Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Jochen Seitz
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
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18
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Bahnsen K, Wronski ML, Keeler JL, King JA, Preusker Q, Kolb T, Weidner K, Roessner V, Bernardoni F, Ehrlich S. Differential longitudinal changes of hippocampal subfields in patients with anorexia nervosa. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024; 78:186-196. [PMID: 38018338 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a mental disorder characterized by dietary restriction, fear of gaining weight, and distorted body image. Recent studies indicate that the hippocampus, crucial for learning and memory, may be affected in AN, yet subfield-specific effects remain unclear. We investigated hippocampal subfield alterations in acute AN, changes following weight restoration, and their associations with leptin levels. METHODS T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans were processed using FreeSurfer. We compared 22 left and right hemispheric hippocampal subfield volumes cross-sectionally and longitudinally in females with acute AN (n = 165 at baseline, n = 110 after partial weight restoration), healthy female controls (HCs; n = 271), and females after long-term recovery from AN (n = 79) using linear models. RESULTS We found that most hippocampal subfield volumes were significantly reduced in patients with AN compared with HCs (~-3.9%). Certain areas such as the subiculum exhibited no significant reduction in the acute state of AN, while other areas, such as the hippocampal tail, showed strong decreases (~-9%). Following short-term weight recovery, most subfields increased in volume. Comparisons between participants after long-term weight-recovery and HC yielded no differences. The hippocampal tail volume was positively associated with leptin levels in AN independent of body mass index. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides evidence of differential volumetric differences in hippocampal subfields between individuals with AN and HC and almost complete normalization after weight rehabilitation. These alterations are spatially inhomogeneous and more pronounced compared with other major mental disorders (e.g. major depressive disorder and schizophrenia). We provide novel insights linking hypoleptinemia to hippocampal subfield alterations hinting towards clinical relevance of leptin normalization in AN recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaas Bahnsen
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Marie-Louis Wronski
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Johanna Louise Keeler
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Joseph A King
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Quirina Preusker
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Theresa Kolb
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kerstin Weidner
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Fabio Bernardoni
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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19
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Alzaid H, Simon JJ, Brugnara G, Vollmuth P, Bendszus M, Friederich HC. Hypothalamic subregion alterations in anorexia nervosa and obesity: Association with appetite-regulating hormone levels. Int J Eat Disord 2024; 57:581-592. [PMID: 38243035 DOI: 10.1002/eat.24137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Anorexia nervosa (AN) and obesity are weight-related disorders with imbalances in energy homeostasis that may be due to hormonal dysregulation. Given the importance of the hypothalamus in hormonal regulation, we aimed to identify morphometric alterations to hypothalamic subregions linked to these conditions and their connection to appetite-regulating hormones. METHODS Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was obtained from 78 patients with AN, 27 individuals with obesity and 100 normal-weight healthy controls. Leptin, ghrelin, and insulin blood levels were measured in a subsample of each group. An automated segmentation method was used to segment the hypothalamus and its subregions. Volumes of the hypothalamus and its subregions were compared between groups, and correlational analysis was employed to assess the relationship between morphometric measurements and appetite-regulating hormone levels. RESULTS While accounting for total brain volume, patients with AN displayed a smaller volume in the inferior-tubular subregion (ITS). Conversely, obesity was associated with a larger volume in the anterior-superior, ITS, posterior subregions (PS), and entire hypothalamus. There were no significant volumetric differences between AN subtypes. Leptin correlated positively with PS volume, whereas ghrelin correlated negatively with the whole hypothalamus volume in the entire cohort. However, appetite-regulating hormone levels did not mediate the effects of body mass index on volumetric measures. CONCLUSION Our results indicate the importance of regional structural hypothalamic alterations in AN and obesity, extending beyond global changes to brain volume. Furthermore, these alterations may be linked to changes in hormonal appetite regulation. However, given the small sample size in our correlation analysis, further analyses in a larger sample size are warranted. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE Using an automated segmentation method to investigate morphometric alterations of hypothalamic subregions in AN and obesity, this study provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between hypothalamic alterations, hormonal appetite regulation, and body weight, highlighting the need for further research to uncover underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haidar Alzaid
- Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joe J Simon
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gianluca Brugnara
- Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philipp Vollmuth
- Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Bendszus
- Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hans-Christoph Friederich
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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20
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Luo Y, Pluta D, Brodrick BB, Palka JM, McCoy J, Lohrenz T, Gu X, Vannucci M, Montague PR, McAdams CJ. Diminished Adaptation, Satisfaction, and Neural Responses to Advantageous Social Signals in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:305-313. [PMID: 37951540 PMCID: PMC10939989 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2023.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Development and recurrence of 2 eating disorders (EDs), anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, are frequently associated with environmental stressors. Neurobehavioral responses to social learning signals were evaluated in both EDs. METHODS Women with anorexia nervosa (n = 25), women with bulimia nervosa (n = 30), or healthy comparison women (n = 38) played a neuroeconomic game in which the norm shifted, generating social learning signals (norm prediction errors [NPEs]) during a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. A Bayesian logistic regression model examined how the probability of offer acceptance depended on cohort, block, and NPEs. Rejection rates, emotion ratings, and neural responses to NPEs were compared across groups. RESULTS Relative to the comparison group, both ED cohorts showed less adaptation (p = .028, ηp2 = 0.060), and advantageous signals (positive NPEs) led to higher rejection rates (p = .014, ηp2 = 0.077) and less positive emotion ratings (p = .004, ηp2 = 0.111). Advantageous signals increased neural activations in the orbitofrontal cortex for the comparison group but not for women with anorexia nervosa (p = .018, d = 0.655) or bulimia nervosa (p = .043, d = 0.527). More severe ED symptoms were associated with decreased activation of dorsomedial prefrontal cortex for advantageous signals. CONCLUSIONS Diminished neural processing of advantageous social signals and impaired norm adaptation were observed in both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, while no differences were found for disadvantageous social signals. Development of neurocognitive interventions to increase responsivity to advantageous social signals could augment current treatments, potentially leading to improved clinical outcomes for EDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Luo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, Virginia
| | - Dustin Pluta
- Department of Statistics, Rice University, Houston, Texas
| | - Brooks B Brodrick
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas
| | - Jayme M Palka
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas
| | - Jordan McCoy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas
| | - Terry Lohrenz
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, Virginia
| | - Xiaosi Gu
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Center for Computational Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | | | - P Read Montague
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, Virginia; Department of Physics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia; Virginia Tech-Wake Forest School of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Carrie J McAdams
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas.
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21
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Zielinski-Gussen IM, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, Dahmen B. Involuntary Treatment for Child and Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa-A Narrative Review and Possible Advances to Move Away from Coercion. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:3149. [PMID: 38132039 PMCID: PMC10742854 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11243149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders frequently experience hospital treatment as coercive. In particular, for patients with severe anorexia nervosa (AN), clinical and ethical challenges often arise if they do not voluntarily agree to hospital admission, often due to the ego-syntonic nature of the disorder. In these cases, involuntary treatment (IVT) might be life-saving. However, coercion can cause patients to experience excruciating feelings of pressure and guilt and might have long-term consequences. METHODS This narrative review aimed to summarize the current empirical findings regarding IVT for child and adolescent AN. Furthermore, it aimed to present alternative treatment programs to find a collaborative method of treatment for young AN patients and their families. RESULTS Empirical data on IVT show that even though no inferiority of IVT has been reported regarding treatment outcomes, involuntary hospital treatment takes longer, and IVT patients seem to struggle significantly more with weight restoration. We argue that more patient- and family-oriented treatment options, such as home treatment, might offer a promising approach to shorten or even avoid involuntary hospital admissions and further IVT. Different home treatment approaches, either aiming at preventing hospitalization or at shortening hospital stays, and the results of pilot studies are summarized in this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingar M. Zielinski-Gussen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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22
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Arold D, Bernardoni F, Geisler D, Doose A, Uen V, Boehm I, Roessner V, King JA, Ehrlich S. Predicting long-term outcome in anorexia nervosa: a machine learning analysis of brain structure at different stages of weight recovery. Psychol Med 2023; 53:7827-7836. [PMID: 37554008 PMCID: PMC10758339 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723001861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by sizable, widespread gray matter (GM) reductions in the acutely underweight state. However, evidence for persistent alterations after weight-restoration has been surprisingly scarce despite high relapse rates, frequent transitions to other psychiatric disorders, and generally unfavorable outcome. While most studies investigated brain regions separately (univariate analysis), psychiatric disorders can be conceptualized as brain network disorders characterized by multivariate alterations with only subtle local effects. We tested for persistent multivariate structural brain alterations in weight-restored individuals with a history of AN, investigated their putative biological substrate and relation with 1-year treatment outcome. METHODS We trained machine learning models on regional GM measures to classify healthy controls (HC) (N = 289) from individuals at three stages of AN: underweight patients starting intensive treatment (N = 165, used as baseline), patients after partial weight-restoration (N = 115), and former patients after stable and full weight-restoration (N = 89). Alterations after weight-restoration were related to treatment outcome and characterized both anatomically and functionally. RESULTS Patients could be classified from HC when underweight (ROC-AUC = 0.90) but also after partial weight-restoration (ROC-AUC = 0.64). Alterations after partial weight-restoration were more pronounced in patients with worse outcome and were not detected in long-term weight-recovered individuals, i.e. those with favorable outcome. These alterations were more pronounced in regions with greater functional connectivity, not merely explained by body mass index, and even increases in cortical thickness were observed (insula, lateral orbitofrontal, temporal pole). CONCLUSIONS Analyzing persistent multivariate brain structural alterations after weight-restoration might help to develop personalized interventions after discharge from inpatient treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Arold
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Fabio Bernardoni
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Daniel Geisler
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Arne Doose
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Volkan Uen
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ilka Boehm
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Joseph A. King
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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23
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Forester G, Johnson JS, Reilly EE, Lloyd EC, Johnson E, Schaefer LM. Back to the future: Progressing memory research in eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord 2023; 56:2032-2048. [PMID: 37594119 PMCID: PMC10843822 DOI: 10.1002/eat.24045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Human behaviors, thoughts, and emotions are guided by memories of the past. Thus, there can be little doubt that memory plays a fundamental role in the behaviors (e.g., binging), thoughts (e.g., body-image concerns), and emotions (e.g., guilt) that characterize eating disorders (EDs). Although a growing body of research has begun to investigate the role of memory in EDs, this literature is limited in numerous ways and has yet to be integrated into an overarching framework. METHODS In the present article, we provide an operational framework for characterizing different domains of memory, briefly review existing ED memory research within this framework, and highlight crucial gaps in the literature. RESULTS We distinguish between three domains of memory-episodic, procedural, and working-which differ based on functional attributes and underlying neural systems. Most recent ED memory research has focused on procedural memory broadly defined (e.g., reinforcement learning), and findings within all three memory domains are highly mixed. Further, few studies have attempted to assess these different domains simultaneously, though most behavior is achieved through coordination and competition between memory systems. We, therefore, offer recommendations for how to move ED research forward within each domain of memory and how to study the interactions between memory systems, using illustrative examples from other areas of basic and clinical research. DISCUSSION A stronger and more integrated understanding of the mechanisms that connect memory of past experiences to present ED behavior may yield more comprehensive theoretical models of EDs that guide novel treatment approaches. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE Memories of previous eating-related experiences may contribute to the onset and maintenance of eating disorders (EDs). However, research on the role of memory in EDs is limited, and distinct domains of ED memory research are rarely connected. We, therefore, offer a framework for organizing, progressing, and integrating ED memory research, to provide a better foundation for improving ED treatment and intervention going forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glen Forester
- Center for Biobehavioral Research, Sanford Research, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
| | - Jeffrey S. Johnson
- Center for Biobehavioral Research, Sanford Research, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
- Department of Psychology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
| | - Erin E. Reilly
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - E. Caitlin Lloyd
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Emily Johnson
- Department of Psychology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
| | - Lauren M. Schaefer
- Center for Biobehavioral Research, Sanford Research, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
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24
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Hellerhoff I, Bernardoni F, Bahnsen K, King JA, Doose A, Pauligk S, Tam FI, Mannigel M, Gramatke K, Roessner V, Akgün K, Ziemssen T, Ehrlich S. Serum neurofilament light concentrations are associated with cortical thinning in anorexia nervosa. Psychol Med 2023; 53:7053-7061. [PMID: 36967674 PMCID: PMC10719626 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723000387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by severe emaciation and drastic reductions of brain mass, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The present study investigated the putative association between the serum-based protein markers of brain damage neurofilament light (NF-L), tau protein, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and cortical thinning in acute AN. METHODS Blood samples and magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained from 52 predominantly adolescent, female patients with AN before and after partial weight restoration (increase in body mass index >14%). The effect of marker levels before weight gain and change in marker levels on cortical thickness (CT) was modeled at each vertex of the cortical surface using linear mixed-effect models. To test whether the observed effects were specific to AN, follow-up analyses exploring a potential general association of marker levels with CT were conducted in a female healthy control (HC) sample (n = 147). RESULTS In AN, higher baseline levels of NF-L, an established marker of axonal damage, were associated with lower CT in several regions, with the most prominent clusters located in bilateral temporal lobes. Tau protein and GFAP were not associated with CT. In HC, no associations between damage marker levels and CT were detected. CONCLUSIONS A speculative interpretation would be that cortical thinning in acute AN might be at least partially a result of axonal damage processes. Further studies should thus test the potential of serum NF-L to become a reliable, low-cost and minimally invasive marker of structural brain alterations in AN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inger Hellerhoff
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Center, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Fabio Bernardoni
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Klaas Bahnsen
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Joseph A. King
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Arne Doose
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sophie Pauligk
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Friederike I. Tam
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Center, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Merle Mannigel
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katrin Gramatke
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katja Akgün
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurological Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Tjalf Ziemssen
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurological Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Center, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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25
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Keeler JL, Kan C, Treasure J, Himmerich H. Novel treatments for anorexia nervosa: Insights from neuroplasticity research. EUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW 2023. [PMID: 37823233 DOI: 10.1002/erv.3039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN) remains challenging; there are no approved psychopharmacological interventions and psychotherapeutic strategies have variable efficacy. The investigation of evidence-based treatments has so far been compounded by an underdeveloped understanding into the neurobiological changes associated with the acute stages of AN. There is converging evidence of deficiencies in neuroplasticity in AN. METHOD This paper provides an overview of neuroimaging, neuropsychological, molecular and qualitative findings relating to neuroplasticity in AN, translating these findings to the identification of novel biological and psychotherapeutic strategies. RESULTS Novel psychopharmacological approaches that may ameliorate deficiencies in neuroplasticity include medications such as ketamine, psilocybin and human recombinant leptin. Anti-inflammatory medications and brain-derived neurotrophic factor mimetics may emerge as potential treatments following further research. Psychotherapeutic strategies that may target neuroplastic deficiencies, as well as having wider effects on identity, include imagery rescripting, memory specificity training, cognitive remediation therapy, exposure therapies, narrative therapies, cultural interventions (e.g. music and arts therapies) and yoga/mindfulness-based interventions. CONCLUSIONS Treatments specifically targeted towards mitigating the neurobiological sequalae of AN are warranted, and emerging neurobiological and neuropsychological research utilising longitudinal designs and large sample sizes, as well as initial feasibility studies, are necessitated to bolster translational efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Louise Keeler
- King's College London, Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders (CREW), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, London, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Kent, UK
| | - Carol Kan
- Vincent Square Eating Disorder Service, London, UK
| | - Janet Treasure
- King's College London, Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders (CREW), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, London, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Kent, UK
| | - Hubertus Himmerich
- King's College London, Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders (CREW), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, London, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Kent, UK
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26
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Wronski ML, Hohnemann C, Bernardoni F, Bahnsen K, Doose A, Arold D, Borucki K, Holsen LM, Lawson EA, Plessow F, Weidner K, Roessner V, Diestel S, King JA, Seidel M, Ehrlich S. Explicating the role of amygdala substructure alterations in the link between hypoleptinemia and rumination in anorexia nervosa. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2023; 148:368-381. [PMID: 37688292 DOI: 10.1111/acps.13607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The amygdaloid complex plays a pivotal role in emotion processing and has been associated with rumination transdiagnostically. In anorexia nervosa (AN), we previously observed differential reductions of amygdala nuclei volumes (rostral-medial cluster substantially affected) and, in another study, elevated food-/weight-related rumination. Both amygdala volumes and rumination frequency correlated with characteristically suppressed leptin levels in AN. Thus, we hypothesized that amygdala nuclei alterations might be associated with AN-related rumination and potentially mediate the leptin-rumination relationship in AN. METHODS Rumination (food-/weight-related) was assessed using ecological momentary assessment for a 14-day period. We employed frequentist and Bayesian linear mixed effects models in females with AN (n = 51, 12-29 years, majority admitted to inpatient treatment) and age-matched healthy females (n = 51) to investigate associations between rostral-medial amygdala nuclei volume alterations (accessory basal, cortical, medial nuclei, corticoamygdaloid transitions) and rumination. We analyzed mediation effects using multi-level structural equation models. RESULTS Reduced right accessory basal and cortical nuclei volumes predicted more frequent weight-related rumination in AN; both nuclei fully mediated the effect of leptin on weight-related rumination. In contrast, we found robust evidence for the absence of amygdala nuclei volume effects on rumination in healthy females. CONCLUSION This study provides first evidence for the relevance of specific amygdala substructure reductions regarding cognitive symptom severity in AN and points toward novel mechanistic insight into the relationship between hypoleptinemia and rumination, which might involve the amygdaloid complex. Our findings in AN may have important clinical value with respect to understanding the beneficial neuropsychiatric effects of leptin (treatment) in AN and potentially other psychiatric conditions such as depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Louis Wronski
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Charlotte Hohnemann
- Schumpeter School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Economy, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Fabio Bernardoni
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Klaas Bahnsen
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Arne Doose
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Dominic Arold
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katrin Borucki
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Laura M Holsen
- Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine/Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Franziska Plessow
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kerstin Weidner
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Diestel
- Schumpeter School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Economy, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Joseph A King
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Maria Seidel
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Eating Disorder Treatment and Research Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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27
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Wronski ML, Geisler D, Bernardoni F, Seidel M, Bahnsen K, Doose A, Steinhäuser JL, Gronow F, Böldt LV, Plessow F, Lawson EA, King JA, Roessner V, Ehrlich S. Differential alterations of amygdala nuclei volumes in acutely ill patients with anorexia nervosa and their associations with leptin levels. Psychol Med 2023; 53:6288-6303. [PMID: 36464660 PMCID: PMC10358440 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722003609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The amygdala is a subcortical limbic structure consisting of histologically and functionally distinct subregions. New automated structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) segmentation tools facilitate the in vivo study of individual amygdala nuclei in clinical populations such as patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) who show symptoms indicative of limbic dysregulation. This study is the first to investigate amygdala nuclei volumes in AN, their relationships with leptin, a key indicator of AN-related neuroendocrine alterations, and further clinical measures. METHODS T1-weighted MRI scans were subsegmented and multi-stage quality controlled using FreeSurfer. Left/right hemispheric amygdala nuclei volumes were cross-sectionally compared between females with AN (n = 168, 12-29 years) and age-matched healthy females (n = 168) applying general linear models. Associations with plasma leptin, body mass index (BMI), illness duration, and psychiatric symptoms were analyzed via robust linear regression. RESULTS Globally, most amygdala nuclei volumes in both hemispheres were reduced in AN v. healthy control participants. Importantly, four specific nuclei (accessory basal, cortical, medial nuclei, corticoamygdaloid transition in the rostral-medial amygdala) showed greater volumetric reduction even relative to reductions of whole amygdala and total subcortical gray matter volumes, whereas basal, lateral, and paralaminar nuclei were less reduced. All rostral-medially clustered nuclei were positively associated with leptin in AN independent of BMI. Amygdala nuclei volumes were not associated with illness duration or psychiatric symptom severity in AN. CONCLUSIONS In AN, amygdala nuclei are altered to different degrees. Severe volume loss in rostral-medially clustered nuclei, collectively involved in olfactory/food-related reward processing, may represent a structural correlate of AN-related symptoms. Hypoleptinemia might be linked to rostral-medial amygdala alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Louis Wronski
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Geisler
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Fabio Bernardoni
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Maria Seidel
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Klaas Bahnsen
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Arne Doose
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jonas L. Steinhäuser
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Franziska Gronow
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Luisa V. Böldt
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Franziska Plessow
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph A. King
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Eating Disorder Treatment and Research Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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28
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Ravanfar P, Rushmore RJ, Lyall AE, Cropley V, Makris N, Desmond P, Velakoulis D, Shenton ME, Bush AI, Rossell SL, Pantelis C, Syeda WT, Phillipou A. Investigation of brain iron in anorexia nervosa, a quantitative susceptibility mapping study. J Eat Disord 2023; 11:142. [PMID: 37605216 PMCID: PMC10441741 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-023-00870-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a potentially fatal psychiatric condition, associated with structural brain changes such as gray matter volume loss. The pathophysiological mechanisms for these changes are not yet fully understood. Iron is a crucial element in the development and function of the brain. Considering the systemic alterations in iron homeostasis in AN, we hypothesized that brain iron would be altered as a possible factor associated with structural brain changes in AN. METHODS In this study, we used quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) magnetic resonance imaging to investigate brain iron in current AN (c-AN) and weight-restored AN compared with healthy individuals. Whole-brain voxel wise comparison was used to probe areas with possible group differences. Further, the thalamus, caudate nucleus, putamen, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus, and amygdala were selected as the regions of interest (ROIs) for ROI-based comparison of mean QSM values. RESULTS Whole-brain voxel-wise and ROI-based comparison of QSM did not reveal any differences between groups. Exploratory analyses revealed a correlation between higher regional QSM (higher iron) and lower body mass index, higher illness severity, longer illness duration, and younger age at onset in the c-AN group. CONCLUSIONS This study did not find evidence of altered brain iron in AN compared to healthy individuals. However, the correlations between clinical variables and QSM suggest a link between brain iron and weight status or biological processes in AN, which warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parsa Ravanfar
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Level 3, Alan Gilbert Building, 161 Barry ST, Carlton South, VIC, 3053, Australia.
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - R Jarrett Rushmore
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Morphometric Analysis (CMA), Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amanda E Lyall
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Vanessa Cropley
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Level 3, Alan Gilbert Building, 161 Barry ST, Carlton South, VIC, 3053, Australia
| | - Nikos Makris
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Morphometric Analysis (CMA), Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Patricia Desmond
- Department of Radiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Dennis Velakoulis
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Level 3, Alan Gilbert Building, 161 Barry ST, Carlton South, VIC, 3053, Australia
- Neuropsychiatry, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Martha E Shenton
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ashley I Bush
- Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Susan L Rossell
- Centre for Mental Health and Brain Sciences, Swinburne University, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
- Department of Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Christos Pantelis
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Level 3, Alan Gilbert Building, 161 Barry ST, Carlton South, VIC, 3053, Australia
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Warda T Syeda
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Level 3, Alan Gilbert Building, 161 Barry ST, Carlton South, VIC, 3053, Australia
| | - Andrea Phillipou
- Department of Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Orygen, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Mental Health, Austin Health, Melbourne, Australia
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29
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Doose A, Tam FI, Hellerhoff I, King JA, Boehm I, Gottloeber K, Wahl H, Werner A, Raschke F, Bartnik-Olson B, Lin AP, Akgün K, Roessner V, Linn J, Ehrlich S. Triangulating brain alterations in anorexia nervosa: a multimodal investigation of magnetic resonance spectroscopy, morphometry and blood-based biomarkers. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:277. [PMID: 37573444 PMCID: PMC10423271 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02580-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The acute state of anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with widespread reductions in cortical gray matter (GM) thickness and white matter (WM) volume, suspected changes in myelin content and elevated levels of the neuronal damage marker neurofilament light (NF-L), but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. To gain a deeper understanding of brain changes in AN, we applied a multimodal approach combining advanced neuroimaging methods with analysis of blood-derived biomarkers. In addition to standard measures of cortical GM thickness and WM volume, we analyzed tissue-specific profiles of brain metabolites using multivoxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, T1 relaxation time as a proxy of myelin content leveraging advanced quantitative MRI methods and serum NF-L concentrations in a sample of 30 female, predominately adolescent patients with AN and 30 age-matched female healthy control participants. In patients with AN, we found a reduction in GM cortical thickness and GM total N-acetyl aspartate. The latter predicted higher NF-L levels, which were elevated in AN. Furthermore, GM total choline was elevated. In WM, there were no group differences in either imaging markers, choline levels or N-acetyl aspartate levels. The current study provides evidence for neuronal damage processes as well as for increased membrane lipid catabolism and turnover in GM in acute AN but no evidence for WM pathology. Our results illustrate the potential of multimodal research including tissue-specific proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy analyses to shed light on brain changes in psychiatric and neurological conditions, which may ultimately lead to better treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Doose
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Friederike I Tam
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Inger Hellerhoff
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Joseph A King
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ilka Boehm
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kim Gottloeber
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Hannes Wahl
- Department of Neuroradiology, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Annett Werner
- Department of Neuroradiology, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Felix Raschke
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
| | - Brenda Bartnik-Olson
- Department of Radiology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Alexander P Lin
- Center for Clinical Spectroscopy, Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katja Akgün
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurological Clinic, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jennifer Linn
- Department of Neuroradiology, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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30
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Gibson D, Watters A, Bauschka M. Seizures in eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord 2023; 56:1650-1660. [PMID: 37092766 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To complete a descriptive study of seizure etiology in a large population of eating disorder (ED) patients and to better understand whether malnutrition itself, in those with EDs, is associated with seizure development. METHOD In this retrospective study, 75 patients with documented seizures met inclusion criteria from a total of 1664 charts. RESULTS Prevalence of seizures in this ED cohort was found to be 4.5%, with 29.3% of individuals experiencing seizures due to psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). Other common causes of seizures included substance abuse/withdrawal (18.7%), primary seizure disorder (12%), and electrolyte abnormalities/hypoglycemia (10.7%). Three patients (4%) also developed their seizures presumably due to Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE). DISCUSSION Several etiologies of seizures are reported from this large sample of ED patients, and this is also the first study to report on a possible association of WE as a cause of seizures in ED patients. The contribution of WE and malnutrition toward the development of seizures in this population remains to be determined, and future studies should also seek to better understand the inter-relationship between malnutrition and the other variables discussed in this article, such as hypomagnesemia, toward seizure development. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE The medical complications of EDs are myriad but seizures have not historically been considered one of those direct complications of malnutrition. The findings of this retrospective study suggest that seizure development may be a direct and indirect complication associated with EDs. The presentation of Wernicke's encephalopathy, which can also be associated with development of seizures, requires further investigation in those with EDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Gibson
- ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders and Severe Malnutrition at Denver Health, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Ashlie Watters
- ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders and Severe Malnutrition at Denver Health, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Maryrose Bauschka
- ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders and Severe Malnutrition at Denver Health, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Eating Recovery Center, Denver, Colorado, USA
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31
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Majić T, Ehrlich S. Psilocybin for the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Nat Med 2023; 29:1906-1907. [PMID: 37488290 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02458-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tomislav Majić
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin Institute of Health, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Eating Disorder Research and Treatment Center, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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32
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Brown SSG, Westwater ML, Seidlitz J, Ziauddeen H, Fletcher PC. Hypothalamic volume is associated with body mass index. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 39:103478. [PMID: 37558541 PMCID: PMC10509524 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
The hypothalamus is an important neuroendocrine hub for the control of appetite and satiety. In animal studies it has been established that hypothalamic lesioning or stimulation causes alteration to feeding behaviour and consequently body mass, and exposure to high calorie diets induces hypothalamic inflammation. These findings suggest that alterations in hypothalamic structure and function are both a cause and a consequence of changes to food intake. However, there is limited in vivo human data relating the hypothalamus to obesity or eating disorders, in part due to technical problems relating to its small size. Here, we used a novel automated segmentation algorithm to exploratorily investigate the relationship between hypothalamic volume, normalised to intracranial volume, and body mass index (BMI). The analysis was applied across four independent datasets comprising of young adults (total n = 1,351 participants) spanning a range of BMIs (13.3 - 47.8 kg/m2). We compared underweight (including individuals with anorexia nervosa), healthy weight, overweight and obese individuals in a series of complementary analyses. We report that overall hypothalamic volume is significantly larger in overweight and obese groups of young adults. This was also observed for a number of hypothalamic sub-regions. In the largest dataset (the HCP-Young Adult dataset (n = 1111)) there was a significant relationship between hypothalamic volume and BMI. We suggest that our findings of a positive relationship between hypothalamic volume and BMI is potentially consistent with hypothalamic inflammation as seen in animal models in response to high fat diet, although more research is needed to establish a causal relationship. Overall, we present novel, in vivo findings that link elevated BMI to altered hypothalamic structure. This has important implications for study of the neural mechanisms of obesity in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie S G Brown
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Margaret L Westwater
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX, United Kingdom
| | - Jakob Seidlitz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Lifespan Brain Institute of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hisham Ziauddeen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Paul C Fletcher
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom; Wellcome Trust MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Trust, United Kingdom
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33
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Bracké KFM, Steegers CPM, van der Harst T, Dremmen MHG, Vernooij MW, White TJH, Dieleman GC. Can neuroimaging measures differentiate the disease course of anorexia nervosa? A systematic review. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 163:337-349. [PMID: 37263169 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.05.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) entails many uncertainties regarding the clinical outcome, due to large heterogeneity in the disease course. AN is associated with global decrease in brain volumes and altered brain functioning during acute illness. However, it is unclear whether structural and functional brain alterations can predict clinical outcome. We aimed to systematically review the predictive value of volumetric and functional brain outcome measures of structural and functional brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on the disease course of AN. Four databases (Embase, Medline, Psycinfo, and Cochrane Central Register) were systematically searched. A total of 15 studies (structural MRI: n = 6, functional MRI: n = 9) were reviewed. In total 464 unique AN patients, and 328 controls were included. Follow-up time ranged between 1 and 43 months. Structural neuroimaging studies showed that lower brain volumes of the cerebellum, subcortical grey matter, and cortical white matter at admission predicted a worse clinical outcome. A smaller increase of the anterior cingulate cortex volume in the early phase of the disease predicted a worse clinical outcome. Lower overall gyrification, and a higher clustering coefficient predicted a worse clinical outcome. Functional MRI studies showed that frontal, parietal and temporal activity during task-based algorithms predicted follow-up body mass index, although results were bidirectional possibly due to the large heterogeneity in methodological approaches. Neuroimaging measures may predict the clinical outcome of AN. However, there is a lack of replication studies. Future studies are needed to validate the prognostic utility of neuroimaging measures in AN patients, and should harmonize demographic, clinical and neuroimaging features in order to enhance comparability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrien F M Bracké
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Cathelijne P M Steegers
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tess van der Harst
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marjolein H G Dremmen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Meike W Vernooij
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tonya J H White
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Section of Social and Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gwen C Dieleman
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
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34
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Collantoni E, Meregalli V, Manara R, Meneguzzo P, Tenconi E, Favaro A. Volume and complexity of the thalamus in Anorexia Nervosa: An exploratory evaluation. EUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW 2023; 31:349-359. [PMID: 36573401 DOI: 10.1002/erv.2965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Recent neuroscientific findings have highlighted the role of the thalamus in several cognitive functions, ranging from perception to cognitive flexibility, memory, and body representation. Since some of these functions may be involved in the pathophysiology of Anorexia Nervosa (AN), this study aims at exploring thalamic structure in different phases of the disorder. METHOD The sample included 38 patients with acute AN, 20 patients who fully recovered from AN (recAN), and 38 healthy controls (HC), all female. All participants underwent high-resolution MRI. The volumes of the whole thalamus and 25 thalamic nuclei were extracted using an automated segmentation algorithm, and thalamic fractal dimension was estimated using the calcFD toolbox. RESULTS Patients with acute AN, compared to HC, displayed reduced thalamic volume and complexity both at the whole level and at the level of specific nuclei. In patients recAN, instead, alterations were observed only at the level of the right laterodorsal and central lateral nuclei. CONCLUSIONS In the acute phase of the disorder patients with AN present a widespread reduction in thalamic volume and complexity. However, these alterations seem to normalise almost completely following weight restoration, thus suggesting the involvement of malnutrition-related mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Collantoni
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.,Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Valentina Meregalli
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.,Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Renzo Manara
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Paolo Meneguzzo
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.,Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Elena Tenconi
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.,Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Angela Favaro
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.,Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
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35
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Mehler PS, Anderson K, Bauschka M, Cost J, Farooq A. Emergency room presentations of people with anorexia nervosa. J Eat Disord 2023; 11:16. [PMID: 36759897 PMCID: PMC9909152 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-023-00742-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
People with anorexia nervosa (AN) tend to shy away from engaging in typical primary care provider relationships in order to avoid detection. Therefore, they may seek care for their medical concerns through a local emergency department (ED). Inherently, AN is associated with a litany of medical complications, which become more prevalent as the severity of their eating disorder increases. Notwithstanding the typical young age at the onset of AN, no body system is immune to these medical complications. Thus, ED providers may need to pursue a medical diagnosis in order to explain presenting symptoms in people with AN. In addition to the medical issues, AN is also a serious mental illness with high mortality rates, including deaths by suicide. Therefore, ED providers also need to be familiar with relevant mental health issues for these people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip S Mehler
- ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health, Denver, CO, USA. .,University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, USA.
| | - Kristin Anderson
- ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health, Denver, CO, USA.,University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Maryrose Bauschka
- ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health, Denver, CO, USA.,University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jeana Cost
- ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health, Denver, CO, USA.,Eating Recovery Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Asma Farooq
- ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health, Denver, CO, USA.,University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Meregalli V, Tenconi E, Madan CR, Somà E, Meneguzzo P, Ceccato E, Zuanon S, Sala A, Favaro A, Collantoni E. Beyond body image: what body schema and motor imagery can tell us about the way patients with anorexia nervosa experience their body. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2023; 77:94-101. [PMID: 36330847 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
AIM Recent evidence suggests that the body image disturbance often observed in patients with anorexia nervosa also extends to the body schema. According to the embodiment approach, the body schema is not only involved in motor execution, but also in tasks that only require a mental simulation of a movement such as motor imagery, mental rotation of bodies, and visuospatial perspective-taking. The aim of the present study was to assess the ability of patients with anorexia to mentally simulate movements. METHODS The sample included 52 patients with acute anorexia and 62 healthy controls. All participants completed three tests of explicit motor imagery, a mental rotation test and a test of visuospatial perspective-taking. RESULTS Patients with anorexia nervosa, with respect to controls, reported greater difficulties in imagining movements according to a first-person perspective, lower accuracy in motor imagery, selective impairment in the mental rotation of human figures, and reduced ability in assuming a different egocentric visuospatial perspective. CONCLUSION These results are indicative of a specific alteration in motor imagery in patients with anorexia nervosa. Interestingly, patients' difficulties appear to be limited to those tasks which specifically rely on the body schema, while patients and controls performed similarly in the 3D objects mental rotation task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Meregalli
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.,Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Elena Tenconi
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.,Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Enrica Somà
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Paolo Meneguzzo
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.,Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Enrico Ceccato
- Eating Disorders Unit, Ospedale San Bortolo, Vicenza, Italy
| | - Sophia Zuanon
- Eating Disorders Unit, Ospedale San Bortolo, Vicenza, Italy
| | | | - Angela Favaro
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.,Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Enrico Collantoni
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.,Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
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Plini ERG, Melnychuk MC, Harkin A, Dahl MJ, McAuslan M, Kühn S, Boyle RT, Whelan R, Andrews R, Düzel S, Drewelies J, Wagner GG, Lindenberger U, Norman K, Robertson IH, Dockree PM. Dietary Tyrosine Intake (FFQ) Is Associated with Locus Coeruleus, Attention and Grey Matter Maintenance: An MRI Structural Study on 398 Healthy Individuals of the Berlin Aging Study-II. J Nutr Health Aging 2023; 27:1174-1187. [PMID: 38151868 DOI: 10.1007/s12603-023-2005-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE It is documented that low protein and amino-acid dietary intake is related to poorer cognitive health and increased risk of dementia. Degradation of the neuromodulatory pathways, (comprising the cholinergic, dopaminergic, serotoninergic and noradrenergic systems) is observed in neurodegenerative diseases and impairs the proper biosynthesis of key neuromodulators from micro-nutrients and amino acids. How these micro-nutrients are linked to neuromodulatory pathways in healthy adults is less studied. The Locus Coeruleus-Noradrenergic System (LC-NA) is the earliest subcortical structure affected in Alzheimer's disease, showing marked neurodegeneration, but is also sensitive for age-related changes. The LC-NA system is critical for supporting attention and cognitive control, functions that are enhanced both by tyrosine administration and chronic tyrosine intake. The purpose of this study was to 1) investigate whether the dietary intake of tyrosine, the key precursor for noradrenaline (NA), is related to LC signal intensity 2) whether LC mediates the reported association between tyrosine intake and higher cognitive performance (measured with Trail Making Test - TMT), and 3) whether LC signal intensity relates to an objective measure of brain maintenance (BrainPAD). METHODS The analyses included 398 3T MRIs of healthy participants from the Berlin Aging Study II to investigate the relationship between LC signal intensity and habitual dietary tyrosine intake-daily average (HD-Tyr-IDA - measured with Food Frequency Questionnaire - FFQ). As a control procedure, the same analyses were repeated on other main seeds of the neuromodulators' subcortical system (Dorsal and Medial Raphe, Ventral Tegmental Area and Nucleus Basalis of Meynert). In the same way, the relationships between the five nuclei and BrainPAD were tested. RESULTS Results show that HD-Tyr-IDA is positively associated with LC signal intensity. Similarly, LC disproportionally relates to better brain maintenance (BrainPAD). Mediation analyses reveal that only LC, relative to the other nuclei tested, mediates the relationship between HD-Tyr-IDA I and performance in the TMT and between HD-Tyr-IDA and BrainPAD. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide the first evidence linking tyrosine intake with LC-NA system signal intensity and its correlation with neuropsychological performance. This study strengthens the role of diet for maintaining brain and cognitive health and supports the noradrenergic theory of cognitive reserve. Within this framework, adequate tyrosine intake might increase the resilience of LC-NA system functioning, by preventing degeneration and supporting noradrenergic metabolism required for LC function and neuropsychological performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- E R G Plini
- Emanuele RG Plini, Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Lloyd Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland,
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McAdams CJ, Efseroff B, McCoy J, Ford L, Timko CA. Social Processing in Eating Disorders: Neuroimaging Paradigms and Research Domain Organizational Constructs. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2022; 24:777-788. [PMID: 36417153 PMCID: PMC10373941 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-022-01395-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Social and environmental factors have been related to both symptom expression of disordered eating in individuals and changes in the prevalence of eating disorders (EDs) in populations. Neural differences in processing social information may contribute to EDs. This review assesses the evidence for aberrant neural responses during social processing in EDs. RECENT FINDINGS This review examines how constructs within the social processing domain have been evaluated by neuroimaging paradigms in EDs, including communication, affiliation, and understanding of both oneself and others. Differences related to social processing in EDs include altered processing for self-relevant stimuli, in the context of identity, valence, expectations, and affiliative relationships. Future work is needed to integrate how differences in processing social stimuli relate to alterations in cognitive control and reward as well as specific disordered eating symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie J McAdams
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Southwestern Medical School, 6363 Forest Park Rd BL6.204, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
| | - Brayden Efseroff
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Southwestern Medical School, 6363 Forest Park Rd BL6.204, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Jordan McCoy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Southwestern Medical School, 6363 Forest Park Rd BL6.204, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Lauren Ford
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Southwestern Medical School, 6363 Forest Park Rd BL6.204, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - C Alix Timko
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 2716 South Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19146, USA
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Lloyd EC. Large-Scale Analysis of Brain Morphometry in Anorexia Nervosa. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:e41-e42. [PMID: 36202545 PMCID: PMC11060508 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E Caitlin Lloyd
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York.
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