Paper Info
Title
Regional grey matter volume abnormalities in bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder.
Abstract
This study investigated whether bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge-eating disorder (BED) are associated with structural brain abnormalities. Both disorders share the main symptom binge-eating, but are considered differential diagnoses. We attempted to identify alterations in grey matter volume (GMV) that are present in both psychopathologies as well as disorder-specific GMV characteristics. Such information can help to improve neurobiological models of eating disorders and their classification. A total of 50 participants (patients suffering from BN (purge type), BED, and normal-weight controls) underwent structural MRI scanning. GMV for specific brain regions involved in food/reinforcement processing was analyzed by means of voxel-based morphometry. Both patient groups were characterized by greater volumes of the medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) compared to healthy controls. In BN patients, who had increased ventral striatum volumes, body mass index and purging severity were correlated with striatal grey matter volume. Altogether, our data implicate a crucial role of the medial OFC in the studied eating disorders. The structural abnormality might be associated with dysfunctions in food reward processing and/or self-regulation. The bulimia-specific volume enlargement of the ventral striatum is discussed in the framework of negative reinforcement through purging and associated weight regulation.
Year
DOI
Venue
2010
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.12.063
NeuroImage
Keywords
Field
DocType
MRI,VBM,Binge-eating disorder,Bulimia nervosa
Developmental psychology,Ventral striatum,Grey matter,Eating disorders,Body mass index,Abnormality,Bulimia nervosa,Psychology,Binge-eating disorder,Orbitofrontal cortex
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
50
2
1053-8119
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
1
0.44
4
Authors
3
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Axel Schäfer140.96
Dieter Vaitl26314.57
Anne Schienle33710.13