Brain structure and brain function in anorexia nervosa: a computerized tomography study
Krieg, J.C.; Lauer, C.; Leinsinger, G.; Schreiber, W.; Pirke, K.M.
Psychotherapie Psychosomatik Medizinische Psychologie 39(7): 256-259
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0937-2032 PMID: 2788295 Document Number: 337170
Cranial computed tomography (CT) was performed in 12 patients with anorexia nervosa revealing that the majority of the patients displayed ventricular dilatation and/or sulcal widening. In six patients re-examined these structural brain alterations showed a strong trendency towards normalization after weight gain. With the intention of finding a functional correlate of the CT abnormalities, the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured at admission and once again after weight gain and compared with the flow rates of a healthy control group. The mean flow rates assessed at the first examination did not significantly differ from those assessed at the second examination and from those of a control group. Thus, despite the CT findings of structural brain abnormalities, the measurement of the regional cerebral blood flow gave no hint of a reduced functioning of certain brain areas in anorexia nervosa.