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Comparative Study
. 2013 Oct;52(10):1066-1075.e5.
doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2013.07.007. Epub 2013 Aug 27.

Localized brain volume and white matter integrity alterations in adolescent anorexia nervosa

Guido K W Frank  1 , Megan E Shott, Jennifer O Hagman, Tony T Yang
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Localized brain volume and white matter integrity alterations in adolescent anorexia nervosa

Guido K W Frank et al. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2013 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: The neurobiological underpinnings of anorexia nervosa (AN) are poorly understood. In this study, we tested whether brain gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) in adolescents with AN would show alterations comparable to those in adults.

Method: We used magnetic resonance imaging to study GM and WM volume, and diffusion tensor imaging to assess fractional anisotropy for WM integrity in 19 adolescents with AN and 22 controls.

Results: Individuals with AN showed greater left orbitofrontal, right insular, and bilateral temporal cortex GM, as well as temporal lobe WM volumes compared to controls. WM integrity in adolescents with AN was lower (lower fractional anisotropy) in fornix, posterior frontal, and parietal areas, but higher in anterior frontal, orbitofrontal, and temporal lobes. In individuals with AN, orbitofrontal GM volume correlated negatively with sweet taste pleasantness. An additional comparison of this study cohort with adult individuals with AN and healthy controls supported greater orbitofrontal cortex and insula volumes in AN across age groups.

Conclusions: This study indicates larger orbitofrontal and insular GM volumes, as well as lower fornix WM integrity in adolescents with AN, similar to adults. The pattern of larger anteroventral GM and WM volume as well as WM integrity, but lower WM integrity in posterior frontal and parietal regions may indicate that developmental factors such as GM pruning and WM growth could contribute to brain alterations in AN. The negative correlation between taste pleasantness and orbitofrontal cortex volume in individuals with AN could contribute to food avoidance in this disorder.

Keywords: anorexia nervosa; brain; gray matter; white matter.

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Conflict of interest statement

Drs. Hagman and Yang, and Ms. Shott report no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Group differences in brain volumes and white matter integrity. Note: A. Red indicates anorexia nervosa (AN) > Controls (CW) for gray matter; blue indicates AN > Controls for white matter. B. Greater left orbitofrontal gyrus rectus volume in adolescent AN is negatively correlated with 1M sucrose taste pleasantness. C. White matter integrity (fractional anisotropy). Green indicates Controls > AN in superior frontal, parietal and temporal lobes; blue indicates AN > CW in frontal, orbitofrontal, and temporal lobes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Results from the 4-group analysis, contrasting adolescent and adults with anorexia nervosa (AN) and control individuals (CW). Note: Red indicates areas of group difference, which are rendered on a semitransparent standard brain with displayed results both on the outside as well as within deeper brain structures including the insula. L=left; R=right.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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