Brain Tissue Volume Changes Following Weight Gain in Adults with Anorexia Nervosa

Objective: To measure brain volume deficits among underweight patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) compared to control participants and evaluate the re-versibility of these deficits with short-term weight restoration. Method: Brain volume changes in gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cer-ebrospinal fluid (CSF) were examined in 32 adult women with AN and compared to 21, age and body mass index-range matched control women. Results: Patients with AN had a signifi-cant increase in GM (p 5.006, g2 5 0.14) and WM volume (p 5.001, g2 5 0.19) fol-lowing weight restoration. Patients on av-erage had lower levels of GM at low weight (647.63 6 62.07 ml) compared to controls (679.93 6 53.31 ml), which increased with weight restoration (662.64 6 69.71 ml), but did not fully normalize. Discussion: This study suggests that underweight adult patients with AN have reduced GM and WM volumes that increase with short-term weight restora-tion. VC 2010 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc