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. 2024 Jul;32(4):809-823.
doi: 10.1002/erv.3091. Epub 2024 Apr 1.

Autobiographical memory following weight gain in adult patients with Anorexia Nervosa: A longitudinal study

Valentin Terhoeven  1 , Sandra Faschingbauer  1 , Julia Huber  2 , Joe J Simon  1 , Wolfgang Herzog  1 , Hans-Christoph Friederich  1 , Christoph Nikendei  1
Affiliations

Autobiographical memory following weight gain in adult patients with Anorexia Nervosa: A longitudinal study

Valentin Terhoeven et al. Eur Eat Disord Rev. 2024 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) show overgeneralization of memory (OGM) when generating autobiographical episodes related to food and body shape. These memories are central for the construction of a coherent self-concept, interpersonal relationships, and problem-solving abilities. The current study aims to investigate changes in autobiographical memory following weight gain.

Methods: OGM was assessed with an adapted version of the Autobiographical Memory Test including food-, body-, depression-related, and neutral cues. N = 41 female patients with AN (28 restricting-, 13 binge-eating/purging-subtype; mean disease duration: 4.5 years; mean BMI: 14.5 kg/m2) and N = 27 healthy controls (HC) were included at baseline. After inpatient treatment (mean duration: 11 weeks), 24 patients with AN and 24 age-matched HC were reassessed. Group differences were assessed using independent samples t-tests for cross-sectional comparisons and repeated measures ANOVAs for longitudinal data.

Results: At baseline, patients with AN generated significantly fewer specific memories than HC, independent of word category (F(1.66) = 27.167, p < 0.001). During inpatient stay, the average weight gain of patients with AN was 3.1 body mass index points. At follow-up, patients with AN showed a significant improvement in the number of specific memories for both depression-related and neutral cues, but not for food- and body-related cues.

Conclusions: Generalised OGM (i.e., independent of word category) in patients with AN before weight restoration may be a general incapacity to recall autobiographical memory. After weight gain, the previously well-studied pattern of eating disorder-related OGM emerges. The clinical relevance of the continuing disorder-related OGM in patients with AN after weight gain is discussed.

Keywords: AMT; anorexia nervosa; autobiographical memory; eating disorder.

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