Malin Björnsdotter1, Monika Davidovic1, Louise Karjalainen1, Göran Starck1, Håkan Olausson1, Elisabet Wentz1. 1. From the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (Björnsdotter); the Centre for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden (Björnsdotter, Olausson); the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden (Davidovic, Olausson); the Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden (Karjalainen, Wentz); the Department of Radiation Physics at the Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden (Starck); and the Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden (Starck).
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Patients with anorexia nervosa exhibit higher levels of behaviours typically associated with autism-spectrum disorder (ASD), but the neural basis is unclear. We sought to determine whether elevated autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa may be reflected in cortical morphology. METHODS: We used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine regional grey matter volumes in high-resolution MRI structural brain scans in women with anorexia nervosa and matched healthy controls. The Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) scale was used to assess autistic traits. RESULTS: Women with anorexia nervosa (n = 25) had higher AQ scores and lower bilateral superior temporal sulcus (STS) grey matter volumes than the control group (n = 25). The AQ scores correlated negatively with average left STS grey matter volume in women with anorexia nervosa. LIMITATIONS: We did not control for cognitive ability and examined only women with ongoing anorexia nervosa. CONCLUSION: Elevated autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa are associated with morphometric alterations of brain areas linked to social cognition. This finding provides neurobiological support for the behavioural link between anorexia nervosa and ASD and emphasizes the importance of recognizing autistic traits in preventing and treating anorexia nervosa.
BACKGROUND:Patients with anorexia nervosa exhibit higher levels of behaviours typically associated with autism-spectrum disorder (ASD), but the neural basis is unclear. We sought to determine whether elevated autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa may be reflected in cortical morphology. METHODS: We used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine regional grey matter volumes in high-resolution MRI structural brain scans in women with anorexia nervosa and matched healthy controls. The Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) scale was used to assess autistic traits. RESULTS:Women with anorexia nervosa (n = 25) had higher AQ scores and lower bilateral superior temporal sulcus (STS) grey matter volumes than the control group (n = 25). The AQ scores correlated negatively with average left STS grey matter volume in women with anorexia nervosa. LIMITATIONS: We did not control for cognitive ability and examined only women with ongoing anorexia nervosa. CONCLUSION: Elevated autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa are associated with morphometric alterations of brain areas linked to social cognition. This finding provides neurobiological support for the behavioural link between anorexia nervosa and ASD and emphasizes the importance of recognizing autistic traits in preventing and treating anorexia nervosa.
Authors: Sophia Mueller; Daniel Keeser; Andrea C Samson; Valerie Kirsch; Janusch Blautzik; Michel Grothe; Okan Erat; Michael Hegenloh; Ute Coates; Maximilian F Reiser; Kristina Hennig-Fast; Thomas Meindl Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-06-18 Impact factor: 3.240
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