Hippocampal volumes in anorexia nervosa at different stages of the disorder

Abstract

Introduction Hippocampus is involved in a range of cognitive and behavioural processes, and its volume has been found to be reduced in different psychiatric disorders. The present study aims at exploring hippocampal volumes in anorexia nervosa (AN) at different stages of the disorder (a few months after onset, more than 1 year after onset and after recovery). Methods Two samples were included in the present study. The first was composed of 58 patients (38 with present AN, 20 full recovered from AN) and 38 age‐matched healthy women (HW); the second, recruited at a different site, included 20 patients with AN and 16 HW. Hippocampal volume has been estimated using an automated segmentation algorithm. Age, site of scanning and total intracranial volumes were used as covariates in the statistical analyses. Results AN patients showed a reduced hippocampal volume in comparison to HW, with no substantial differences between patients with recent onset and those with a longer duration of illness. Among patients, hippocampal volumes correlated with body mass index, anxiety and drive for thinness. Discussion Our findings suggest an early role of malnutrition in the morphologic alterations of the hippocampus in AN and a possible role of this brain structure in mediating specific psychopathological traits.

Differential longitudinal changes of hippocampal subfields in patients with anorexia nervosa

“…The mean volume of the hippocampal complex in patients with acute AN (lh = À3.68%; rh = À4.08%) was significantly lower than in HCs, confirming previous reports of hippocampal volumetric reduction. 17,18,20 Reported rates of cortical thinning in the acute stage of AN (6.4% on average) 1,3 exceed the whole hippocampus volume reduction observed in this study, whereas the volumetric reduction of the amygdala is comparable in magnitude (lh = À4.34%; rh = À4.22%). 28 However, while the direction of the effects in all of the larger subfields aligned with those observed for the entire hippocampus, the spatial distribution of the volumetric reduction within the hippocampus appears more heterogeneous than the pattern of cortical thickness reduction.…”

“…Compared with control participants, studies have found volumetric reductions in only one of seven subfields, 16 in 11 of 12 hippocampal subfields, 18 and in six of 18 subfields. 17 Furthermore, it remains unclear whether the observed reductions in subfield volumes are lateralized or can be attributed to particular subfield components, as in these previous studies the subfield volumes were mostly averaged across hemispheres and were defined based on a coarser atlas. Data on Alzheimer disease indicates an increased accuracy of hippocampal estimates when using the newer atlas.…”

“…13 To date, only three studies have examined the hippocampal subfield volumes in AN samples. [16][17][18] These studies have yielded conflicting results regarding total hippocampal gray matter (GM) volume and specific subfield volumes. Compared with control participants, studies have found volumetric reductions in only one of seven subfields, 16 in 11 of 12 hippocampal subfields, 18 and in six of 18 subfields.…”

Sulcal characteristics patterns and gyrification gradient at different stages of Anorexia Nervosa: A structural MRI evaluation

“…The sample included was similar to a previous study (Collantoni et al, 2020a). A total of 74 patients with AN (54 with acute AN and 20 fully recovered (recAN)), and 54 HW were recruited from two sites.…”

Volume and complexity of the thalamus in Anorexia Nervosa: An exploratory evaluation

“…Alterations have been observed in whole‐brain cortical thickness, surface area, grey and white matter volumes, gyrification, and cortical complexity (Collantoni et al., 2020; Seitz et al., 2016; Walton et al., 2022). Along with whole‐brain analyses, researchers also focussed on specific subcortical structures which could play a particular role in the pathogenesis of AN, such as the hippocampus (Beadle et al., 2015; Collantoni et al., 2021), the amygdala (Giordano et al., 2001), and the striatum (Favaro et al., 2014).…”