An international team of experts, with the participation of neurologists from the University of Southern California, found that anorexia leads to a decrease in brain volume. Details are provided in a journal article. Biological Psychiatry.
Researchers studied 1,648 women, 685 of whom had anorexia nervosa, using brain MRI. As it turned out, during the disease the thickness and area of the cerebral cortex and subcortical structures decreased.
The reduction in brain volume was 2-4 times greater than in depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and other mental illnesses. Presumably, the reason for these changes was a lack of nutrients.
Other observations showed that the treatment of anorexia, apparently, allows you to restore brain volume.
“We found that the reduction in brain volume was less noticeable in patients on the way to recovery. This is a good sign because it shows that these changes may not be permanent. With the right treatment, the brain can recover,” the researchers said.