Abstract
Altered emotion processing and regulation mechanisms play a key role in eating disorders. We recently reported increased fMRI responses in brain regions involved in emotion processing (amygdala, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) in acutely underweight anorexia nervosa (AN) patients while passively viewing negatively valenced images. We also showed that patients’ ability to downregulate activity elicited by positively valenced pictures in a brain region involved in reward processing (ventral striatum) was predictive of worse outcomes (increased rumination and negative affect). The current study tries to answer the question of whether these alterations are only state effects associated with undernutrition or whether they constitute a trait characteristic of the disorder that persists after recovery. Forty-one individuals that were weight-recovered from AN (recAN) and 41 age-matched healthy controls (HC) completed an established emotion regulation paradigm using negatively and positively valenced visual stimuli. We assessed behavioral (arousal) and fMRI measures (activity in the amygdala, ventral striatum, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) during emotion processing and regulation. Additionally, measures of disorder-relevant rumination and affect were collected several times daily for 2 weeks after scanning via ecological momentary assessment. In contrast to our previous findings in acute AN patients, recAN showed no significant alterations either on a behavioral or neural level. Further, there were no associations between fMRI responses and post-scan momentary measures of rumination and affect. Together, these results suggest that neural responses to emotionally valenced stimuli as well as relationships with everyday rumination and affect likely reflect state-related alterations in AN that improve following successful weight-recovery.
Highlights
Contemporary models of eating disorders (ED) including anorexia nervosa (AN) propose altered emotion processing and emotion regulation mechanisms to play a key role in the development and maintenance of the disorder [1,2,3,4]
We recently reported increased fMRI responses in brain regions involved in emotion processing in acutely underweight anorexia nervosa (AN) patients while passively viewing negatively valenced images
Clinical variables and behavioral task-based data We did not find any differences between recovered from AN (recAN) and healthy controls (HC) in age or IQ, but BMI was significantly lower and ED symptoms (EDI-2), as well as depression scores (BDI-II), were still elevated (Table 1)
Summary
Contemporary models of eating disorders (ED) including anorexia nervosa (AN) propose altered emotion processing and emotion regulation mechanisms to play a key role in the development and maintenance of the disorder [1,2,3,4]. Contrary to previous findings from questionnaire and self-report data [3], we did not find any differences between acAN and healthy control participants (HC) in the neural regulation of either negative or positive emotions and corresponding arousal ratings [20, 21] during an established task which required emotional reappraisal via distancing [22].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
