Neurobiology and Cognition in Girls at High-Risk of Eating Disorders: Exploring Imaging-Derived Trait Markers

IF 3.4 2区心理学 Q1 PSYCHIATRY

European Eating Disorders Review Pub Date : 2025-04-24 DOI:10.1002/erv.3203

E. Pappaianni, B. Borsarini, C. Berchio, S. Aicoboaie, S. V. Konstantopoulou, D. Van de ville, N. Micali

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Eating disorders (EDs) are serious psychiatric disorders characterized by impairments in neurocognition and altered brain structure. To date the majority of studies have investigated these in acutely ill or recovered individuals. Studying children at familial high risk (FHR) for psychiatric disorders allows investigating vulnerability traits or trait markers that may be present before disorder onset. Our study is the first one to examine executive function and brain structure in girls at FHR for ED (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder) compared to controls (girls not at familial high risk - HC).

Methods

Forty-six (46) FHR girls (median age: 10.5 years, range: 9) and 50 HC girls (median age: 12 years, range: 8) completed a battery of neuropsychological tests assessing cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory. Structural magnetic resonance imaging assessed grey matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness (CT).

Results

Girls at FHR for ED performed a higher number of errors in a cognitive flexibility task compared to HC (β = 0.15, p < 0.05). They also had increased GMV in posterior regions such as the right supramarginal gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, and lingual/fusiform gyrus compared to HC (p < 0.05 cluster-level FWE-corrected), as well as increased CT in the left transverse pole (p < 0.001) and right posterior cingulate cortex (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Girls at FHR show characteristic neurocognitive performance similar to that seen in individuals with ED, as well as differences in brain structure compared to HC. Our findings, together with previous evidence, highlight impairment in cognitive flexibility as a possible trait marker of ED. Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm differences in GMV and CT identified in this study.

Abstract Image

查看原文本刊更多论文

进食障碍高危女孩的神经生物学和认知：探索成像衍生的特征标记。

背景：进食障碍（EDs）是一种以神经认知障碍和大脑结构改变为特征的严重精神疾病。迄今为止，大多数研究都是在急性疾病或康复个体中进行的。研究精神疾病家族性高风险（FHR）儿童，可以调查在疾病发作前可能存在的脆弱性特征或特征标记。我们的研究是第一个检测患有ED（神经性厌食症、神经性贪食症和暴食症）的FHR女孩的执行功能和大脑结构，并将其与对照组（没有家族性高风险的女孩- HC）进行比较。方法：46（46）名FHR女孩（中位年龄：10.5岁，范围：9）和50名HC女孩（中位年龄：12岁，范围：8）完成了一系列神经心理测试，评估认知灵活性、抑制控制和工作记忆。结构磁共振成像评估灰质体积（GMV）和皮质厚度（CT）。结果：与HC相比，FHR组的ED女孩在认知灵活性任务中出现了更多的错误（β = 0.15, p）。结论：FHR组的女孩表现出与ED个体相似的特征神经认知表现，以及与HC相比的大脑结构差异。我们的研究结果以及之前的证据都强调了认知灵活性障碍可能是ED的一个特征标记。需要进一步的纵向研究来证实本研究中发现的GMV和CT的差异。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

European Eating Disorders Review PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL-

CiteScore

8.90

自引率

7.50%

发文量

期刊介绍： European Eating Disorders Review publishes authoritative and accessible articles, from all over the world, which review or report original research that has implications for the treatment and care of people with eating disorders, and articles which report innovations and experience in the clinical management of eating disorders. The journal focuses on implications for best practice in diagnosis and treatment. The journal also provides a forum for discussion of the causes and prevention of eating disorders, and related health policy. The aims of the journal are to offer a channel of communication between researchers, practitioners, administrators and policymakers who need to report and understand developments in the field of eating disorders.