ENIGMA study links brain structure alterations to bulimia nervosa

Researchers from the ENIGMA Eating Disorders Working Group have identified specific structural brain differences associated with bulimia nervosa. The study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, utilized three-dimensional T1-weighted MRI scans from 786 female participants across seventeen international cohorts.

Findings revealed that individuals diagnosed with bulimia nervosa exhibited reduced nucleus accumbens volume and a lower surface area in both the superior temporal cortex and the transverse temporal cortex compared to healthy controls. These anatomical differences remained significant even after adjusting for factors such as BMI, illness duration, depressive symptoms, and medication use.

By pooling data from thirteen international sites, the study aimed to overcome the inconsistent findings common in smaller neuroimaging studies. The research noted that binge-eating frequency was associated with lower surface area in several regions, including the insula and orbitofrontal cortex.