Impacts even in the structure of the brain in children with eating disorders

Restrictive early development eating disorders. Similarly. Similarly, such as mental anorexia and selective or avoidance food disorder (Tase), could be associated with structural changes in the brain in affected children, reveals a new study published in Mental Health Nature and led by Clara Moreau, researcher at the Azrieli research center in the Sainte-Justine and Deputy Professor The University of Montreal.

What is selective and/or avoidance food disorder? In addition, – Impacts even structure brain children – Impacts even structure brain children new

Better known under its English acronym ARFID (“Avoying/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder”). In addition. Furthermore, the tase consists in limiting food intake or impacts even structure brain children new eating only certain types of food, but without desire to lose weight and in the absence of a distorted body image. In addition, impacts even structure brain children Additionally, In addition, It generally appears during early childhood. Consequently. Consequently, would be the result of loss of interest in food, sensory hypersensitivity encouraging to avoid certain textures or tastes, or even a fear of the consequences of eating (eg vomit, choke).

Thanks to brain image analyzes obtained by magnetic resonance (MRI) of children aged 7 to 13 with mental anorexia. Additionally, Consequently, a severe tase, the team of researchers highlighted major brain alterations, specific to each of these two eating disorders. Nevertheless, If part of these changes is attributable to weight loss. For example, in particular to this crucial period of brain development, the study also shows effects of the disease. For example. Meanwhile, Good news: the data collected at different impacts even structure brain children new stages of care suggest that these alterations would at least be partly reversible.

This is the first study to document the impact of the tase on cerebral morphometry. Similarly. and one impacts even structure brain children of the few to assess that of mental anorexia with early development, a less frequent form of this disorder which appears before puberty.

An impact beyond weight loss – Impacts even structure brain children – Impacts even structure brain children new

By comparing the brains of children with. mental anorexia to those of children living with a tase. Moreover, Clara Moreau shows that the impact of these two disorders is not only linked to thinness. Indeed. although all the children of the study which had a food disorder had a low body mass (BMI) index (<16), the brain alterations were clearly different between the two groups. &quot. In anorexic children, we have observed a significant and generalized thinning of the impacts even structure brain children new cerebral cortex," explains the main researcher. This phenomenon had recently been documented in adolescent. adult populations with anorexia, which suggests a significant impact on the brain, regardless of age at the time of diagnosis. " About half of this effect would be impacts even structure brain children attributable to rapid weight loss.

Conversely. in children with a tase. the thickness of the cerebral cortex remains intact, but there is a decrease in intracranial volume and gray matter. Despite a similar BMI, these alterations would not be linked to thinness in these children. “Tase often starts earlier. more progressively than anorexia. It is possible that the brain and metabolism manage to adapt to the food restriction, which could explain the absence of effect on the thickness of the cortex in these children, ”says the researcher.

Support brain recovery to prevent relapses

The study also shows that the brain can impacts even structure brain children new recover with weight gain. By comparing children according to their recovery stage, scientists noted that structural differences tend to fade as the BMI increases. “It is very encouraging. as it suggests that a complete recovery is possible when recovery occurs in young age. the number of impacts even structure brain children relapses is limited.”

To better understand the evolution of brain functions over the recovery. Clara Moreau and her team will continue their work from a longitudinal perspective by integrating functional brain imagery. The professor intends to set up a cohort of children followed at the Clinique des Disorders de CHU Sainte-Justine. take advantage of the fine of the Imagine center of this same establishment. “We know that about a third of hospitalized young people for mental anorexia relapse in the year following their leave. Could this be linked to incomplete brain recovery? And if so, could we predict the impacts even structure brain children new risk of relapse in order to better support the most vulnerable young people? ”

About the study

The study covers 290 children from 7 to 13 years old. including 124 suffering from mental anorexia and 50, of a severe tase.

The article “Neuroimaging Insights Into Brain Mechanisms of Early-Oset impacts even structure brain children Restrictive Eating Disorders” is published. in Nature Mental Health by. Clara A. Moreau et al. The study benefited from the financing of several organizations. including the National Institute of Mental Health. the Fondation de France, the National Research Agency, the Pasteur Institute and the German Research Foundation.