Electroencephalographic correlates of body shape concerns: an eLORETA functional connectivity study

Abstract

The main aim of the present study was to investigate the association between body shape concerns and electroencephalography (EEG) functional connectivity within body image network in a sample of university students (N = 68). EEG was recorded during 5 min of resting state. All participants were asked to complete self-report measures assessing certain psychopathological dimensions (i.e., body shape concerns, depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms). EEG analyses were conducted by means of the exact low-resolution electromagnetic tomography software (eLORETA). Our results showed that body shape concerns were positively associated with increased gamma functional connectivity between the left and right prefrontal cortex (PFC). Furthermore, our data revealed that this EEG pattern was independently associated with body shape concerns after controlling for potential socio-demographic and clinical confounding variables. This finding seems to suggest that increased EEG gamma connectivity between the left and right PFC might be a relevant neurophysiological alteration involved in the development and/or maintenance of dysfunctional concerns about one's body.

Keywords: Body shape concerns; EEG connectivity; Psychopathology; eLORETA.

Fig. 1

eLORETA regions of interest of body image network and Montreal Neurological Institute coordinates (Axial, Sagittal and Coronal view). Abbreviations: PFC = prefrontal cortex, PPC = posterior parietal cortex; EBA = extrastriate body area. (Color figure online)

Fig. 2

Panel A Significant correlation between left-right PFC connectivity and BSQ total score in the gamma frequency band. Red lines indicate increased functional connectivity between ROIs positively associated with BSQ-total scores; blue lines (not present) would indicate decreased functional connectivity between ROIs positively associated with BSQ-total scores. Panel B Scatterplot of the correlation between left-right PFC connectivity values and BSQ-total score (values are adjusted for sex, age, BMI, ethnicity, tobacco and alcohol use, and psychopathological dimensions). Abbreviations: PFC = prefrontal cortex, BSQ-14 = body shape questionnaire. (Color figure online)