Anorexia, a severe eating disorder and mental health issue, affects about a quarter of a million people in the UK aged 16 and up. People with symptoms strive to keep their weight as low as possible by not eating enough.
Although biological causes are generally understood, it is still unclear why some people develop anorexia and others do not. These new findings, which are published in the journal Biological Psychiatry and are based on large assessments of brain scans from patients all across the world, go some way toward resolving the question.
They discovered that persons with anorexia have’significant reductions’ in three crucial brain measures: cortical thickness, subcortical volumes, and cortical surface area. Reduced brain size is crucial since it is assumed to indicate the loss of brain cells or the connections that connect them.
The findings are among the most conclusive yet in establishing linkages between anatomical alterations in the brain and eating disorders. According to the researchers, the impact sizes in their study for anorexia are the biggest of any psychiatric disease studied to far.
This means that persons suffering from anorexia had brain size and shape reductions that were two to four times greater than those suffering from depression, ADHD, or OCD. The alterations in brain size reported in anorexia may be related to decreases in people’s BMI (BMI).
Based on the findings, the researchers emphasise the need of early therapy to assist persons suffering from anorexia avoid long-term structural brain abnormalities. Existing treatments typically include cognitive-behavioral therapy and, most importantly, weight gain. Many persons with anorexia are effectively treated, and these findings demonstrate that such treatment has a good impact on brain anatomy.
Their research drew on over 2,000 previously collected brain scans of persons with anorexia, including those in recovery and ‘healthy controls’ (people neither with anorexia nor in recovery). The study discovered that losses in brain structure were less severe in persons recovering from anorexia, showing that the brain may be able to repair itself with sufficient early treatment and support.
Dr. Esther Walton of the University of Bath’s Department of Psychology remarked, “For this study, we collaborated intensely over several years with research teams around the world.” The ability to integrate thousands of brain scans from persons suffering from anorexia enabled us to explore the brain abnormalities that may characterise this condition in more depth.
“We discovered that the substantial losses in brain structure detected in patients were less visible in patients who were already on the road to recovery.” This is a favourable sign because it suggests that the modifications are not permanent. The brain may be able to recover with the correct treatment.”
Academics from The Technical University of Dresden, Germany, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, and King’s College London were also part of the research team.
The group collaborated as part of the ENIGMA Eating Disorders Working Group, which is based at the University of Southern California. The ENIGMA Consortium is a multinational endeavour that brings together imaging genetics, neurology, and psychiatry specialists to better understand the relationship between brain anatomy, function, and mental health.
“The international scope of this work is amazing,” said Paul Thompson, a neurology professor and the ENIGMA Consortium’s principal scientist. “Scientists from 22 centres around the world pooled their brain scans to build the most thorough picture of how anorexia affects the brain to date.” Anorexia caused more severe brain alterations than any other psychiatric illness we evaluated. Using these new brain maps as a reference, the effects of treatments and interventions may now be evaluated.”
“This study is unusual in terms of the hundreds of brain scans examined, indicating that anorexia impacts the brain more profoundly than any other mental disorder,” he noted. This is a true wake-up call, demonstrating the importance of early intervention for persons suffering from eating disorders.”
This essay, like anything else you read on the internet, should not be taken as medical advice; please consult your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness regimen.
