Researchers at Heidelberg University Hospital have used MRI technology to uncover the first glimpses of brain processes that may explain the eating disorder anorexia nervosa. Researchers examined 30 young women with and without anorexia using MRI technology. MRI-magnetic resonance imaging-was used to record the level of blood flow in different areas of the brain and evaluate key brain network pathways.

Researchers measured the capacity of each participant for flexible behavior modification of recently learned behavior. The young women were shown a sequence of geometric shapes in rapid succession and asked to match them. After one test run, the matching principle was changed. Dr. Hans-Christoph Friederich, head of the working group for eating disorders, commented on the findings:

"In this study, we confirmed that anorexic patients cling to familiar behavioral responses more frequently than healthy subjects, thus suppressing alternative behavior." Related to this finding, the MRI images also showed that "in patients with anorexia compared with healthy subjects, a certain network pathway between the cortex and the diencephalon is less activated. This network pathway plays a decisive role in initiating and controlling actions under rapidly changing environmental demands."

(Source: sciencedaily.com)

Labels: eating disorder, anorexia, mri

Posted By: Aspen Education Group