Complex functional brain network properties in anorexia nervosa

Abstract

Background Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a disorder characterized by an incapacitating fear of weight gain and by a disturbance in the way the body is experienced, facets that motivate dangerous weight loss behaviors. Multimodal neuroimaging studies highlight atypical neural activity in brain networks involved in interoceptive awareness and reward processing. Methods The current study used resting-state neuroimaging to model the architecture of large-scale functional brain networks and characterize network properties of individual brain regions to clinical measures. Resting-state neuroimaging was conducted in 62 adolescents, 22 (21 female) with a history of AN and 40 (39 female) healthy controls (HCs). Sensorimotor and basal ganglia regions, as part of a 165-region whole-brain network, were investigated. Subject-specific functional brain networks were computed to index centrality. A contrast analysis within the general linear model covarying for age was performed. Correlations between network properties and behavioral measures were conducted (significance q < .05). Results Compared to HCs, AN had lower connectivity from sensorimotor regions, and greater connectivity from the left caudate nucleus to the right postcentral gyrus. AN demonstrated lower sensorimotor centrality, but higher basal ganglia centrality. Sensorimotor connectivity dyads and centrality exhibited negative correlations with body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness, two essential features of AN. Conclusions These findings suggest that AN is associated with greater communication from the basal ganglia, and lower information propagation in sensorimotor cortices. This is consistent with the clinical presentation of AN, where individuals exhibit patterns of rigid habitual behavior that is not responsive to bodily needs, and seem “disconnected” from their bodies.

Mechanisms by which adverse childhood experiences, other traumas and PTSD influence the health and well-being of individuals with eating disorders throughout the life span

“…However, these alterations involve a number of disturbances in the interplay of several different stress-responsive systems that interact centrally and peripherally to produce individualized clinical phenotypes and vulnerabilities. Alterations in functional connectivity have been investigated in separate studies of both PTSD [ 279 – 282 ] and ED patients [ 283 – 286 ]. No such studies have yet been reported in ED patients with and without PTSD.…”

“…Alterations in functional connectivity have been investigated in separate studies of both PTSD [ 279 – 282 ] and ED patients [ 283 – 286 ]. No such studies have yet been reported in ED patients with and without PTSD.…”

Multiomic approach and Mendelian randomization analysis identify causal associations between blood biomarkers and subcortical brain structure volumes

“…The caudate which is part of the striatum and connected to the substantia nigra is heavily involved in the reward system where the dopaminergic neurons are produced [69]. Changes in caudate volume have been found to be associated with disorders such as anorexia and Parkinson's disease [70], [71] and our results point to TXNDC12 being the mediator of these associations via the dopaminergic neuron generation and reward system. Some of the proteins we identified had an established role in brain development.…”

Machine learning model to predict obesity using gut metabolite and brain microstructure data

“…Betweenness centrality describes degree to which a brain region lies on the shortest path between two other regions. Acting as way stations, regions with high betweenness centrality are topologically primed to control communication between other regions 38 . Eigenvector centrality reflects how connected a given brain region is to other brain regions with high centrality (greater number of fiber tracts) and is a measure of a region’s overall influence on the network 39 .…”