Age influences structural brain restoration during weight gain therapy in anorexia nervosa

• DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0809-7
• Publication Date: 2020-05-04T16:05:35Z
• Authors: Lisa-Katrin Kaufmann; Jürgen Hänggi; Lutz Jäncke; Volker Baur; Marco Piccirelli; Spyros Kollias; Ulrich Schnyder; Chantal Martin-So...; Gabriella Milos
• Keywords: Anorexia nervosa

Abstract Neuroimaging studies on anorexia nervosa (AN) have consistently reported globally reduced gray matter in patients with acute AN. While first adolescent AN provide evidence for the reversibility of these impairments after weight gain, longitudinal detailed regional analysis adult are lacking and factors associated brain restitution poorly understood. We investigated structural changes using T1-weighted magnetic resonance images surface-based morphometry. The sample consisted 26 women severe 30 healthy controls. design comprised three time points, capturing course weight-restoration therapy at distinct stages gain (BMI ≤ 15.5 kg/m 2 ; < BMI 17.5 ≥ ). Compared to controls, showed decreased cortical thickness subcortical volumes baseline. Linear mixed effect models revealed alterations, restoration being most pronounced during half treatment. negatively correlated age, but not duration illness. After restoration, residual group differences remained superior frontal cortex. These findings indicate that alterations recuperate independently illness therapy. temporal pattern suggests a decrease rate over treatment, patients’ age as strong predictor restitution, possibly reflecting decreases plasticity grow older.