Neuro‐ and social‐cognitive clustering highlights distinct profiles in adults with anorexia nervosa

Abstract

The findings suggest that considerable neuro- and social-cognitive heterogeneity exists in patients with AN, with a subset showing ASD-like features. The value of this method of profiling in predicting longer term patient outcomes and in guiding development of etiologically targeted treatments remains to be seen.

Is overestimation of body size associated with neuropsychological weaknesses in anorexia nervosa?

“…This hypothesis was supported by a recently published cluster analysis in which patients were distributed across three clusters of neuropsychological functioning (Renwick et al, 2015). Thus, our hypothesis of a link between neuropsychological difficulties and overestimation of body size was not supported by the data.…”

Are socio‐emotional and neurocognitive functioning predictors of therapeutic outcomes for adults with anorexia nervosa?

“…This may in part be due to the nature of the sample because most neurocognitive research demonstrating severe difficulty is completed in samples with lower weight than those included here, and indeed, these scores are largely less extreme than those reported in other studies (Harrison et al, ; Tchanturia et al, ; Tenconi et al, ). Therefore, neurocognitive factors may lack relevance across the broader range of presentations associated with AN, and there may be clusters or a spectrum of neurocognitive and social cognitive abilities across those who present with AN from those with a balance of strengths of weaknesses to those with a presentation more like ASD (Renwick et al, ).…”

Social cognition in anorexia nervosa: Specific difficulties in decoding emotional but not nonemotional mental states

“…Given these findings, it seems promising to combine the use of social cognition paradigms with the application of neuroimaging to gain further insight into the exact nature and neural underpinnings of social cognition in AN. Another promising and clinically relevant avenue for future research in this domain refers to the differentiation between distinct clusters of patients with AN with specific neuro‐cognitive and socio‐emotional profiles that are irrespective of levels of psychopathology . This could help to tailor interventions more specifically to the needs of patients.…”