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A model for conceptualizing the components or elements of attention is presented. The model substitutes for the diffuse and global concept of "attention" a group of four processes and links them to a putative system of cerebral structures. Data in support of the model are presented; they are derived from neuropsychological test scores obtained from two samples, the first consisting of 203 adult neuropsychiatric patients and normal control subjects, and the second, an epidemiologically-based sample of 435 elementary school children. Principal components analyses of test scores from these two populations yielded similar results: a set of independent elements of attention that are assayed by different tests. This work presents a heuristic for clinical research in which the measurement of attention is essential.

Cognitive functions were investigated in four groups of women: 30 underweight anorexics, 38 normal-weight bulimics, 20 long-term weight-restored anorexics, and 39 normal controls. A MANOVA was used to examine performance on five neuropsychological domains derived from prior principal components analyses of a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Underweight anorexics performed more poorly than normal controls in four of five neuropsychological domains (focusing/execution, verbal, memory, and visuospatial), while normal-weight bulimics showed poorer performances only in focusing/execution. The absolute differences in scores between eating disorder groups and normal controls were for the most part small, suggesting subtle rather than frank cognitive difficulties. Poorer neuropsychological test performance was associated with anxiety but not depression as measured by the Tryon, Stein, and Chu Tension scale and scale 2 of the MMPI respectively. The findings support previous reports of attentional difficulties in eating disorders but do not support the hypothesis of differential right-hemisphere dysfunction in eating disorders.

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