Brain Age Changes in Female Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa
Author Information
Author(s): Stratton Tatiana, Bahnsen Klaas, Geisler Daniel, Bernardoni Fabio, Gaser Christian, Ehrlich Stefan, Walton Esther
Primary Institution: Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
Hypothesis
How does advanced brain age manifest in adolescents with anorexia nervosa during acute illness and recovery?
Conclusion
Undernutrition in anorexia nervosa is linked to advanced grey matter brain age, which appears to be reversible with weight restoration.
Supporting Evidence
- Acute anorexia nervosa patients showed a higher BrainAGEGM of 1.79 years compared to healthy controls.
- BrainAGEGM decreased significantly after partial weight restoration.
- Larger weight gain predicted greater normalization of BrainAGEGM.
Takeaway
Girls with anorexia nervosa have brains that seem older than they are, but this can get better when they gain weight.
Methodology
The study used MRI scans to measure brain age in 129 acutely underweight anorexia nervosa patients, 39 recovered patients, and 167 healthy controls.
Potential Biases
Potential age differences among groups may have influenced results.
Limitations
The study only included young female patients, limiting generalizability to older or male populations.
Participant Demographics
All participants were female, aged 12-23 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI [1.45, 2.13]
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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