Investigation of brain iron in anorexia nervosa, a quantitative susceptibility mapping study
Year: 2023
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a potentially fatal psychiatric condition, associated with structural brain changes such as gray matter volume loss. The pathophysiological mechanisms for these changes are not yet fully understood. Iron is a crucial element in the development and function of the brain. Considering the systemic alterations in iron homeostasis in AN, we hypothesized that brain iron would be altered as a possible factor associated with structural brain changes in AN. METHODS: In this study, we used quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) magnetic resonance imaging to investigate brain iron in current AN (c-AN) and weight-restored AN compared with healthy individuals. Whole-brain voxel wise comparison was used to probe areas with possible group differences. Further, the thalamus, caudate nucleus, putamen, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus, and amygdala were selected as the regions of interest (ROIs) for ROI-based comparison of mean QSM values. RESULTS: Whole-brain voxel-wise and ROI-based comparison of QSM did not reveal any differences between groups. Exploratory analyses revealed a correlation between higher regional QSM (higher iron) and lower body mass index, higher illness severity, longer illness duration, and younger age at onset in the c-AN group. CONCLUSIONS: This study did not find evidence of altered brain iron in AN compared to healthy individuals. However, the correlations between clinical variables and QSM suggest a link between brain iron and weight status or biological processes in AN, which warrants further investigation.
Source: Journal of Eating Disorders
Institutions: Brigham and Women's Hospital, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Harvard University, The University of Melbourne, Boston University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Swinburne University of Technology, Orygen, Austin Health
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,890
Funders: Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, Brigham and Women's Hospital, University of Melbourne, National Institutes of Health, Medical Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse
Awards: Mentoring and neuroimaging research on new targets for DBS in OCD, Modulating Inhibitory Control Networks In Gambling Disorder With Theta Burst Stimulation, Patient-specific, Effective, and Rational Functional Connectivity Targeting for DBS in OCD, Neural substrates of diffusion imaging in cognitively aging rhesus monkeys, Refining the synaptic pruning hypothesis of psychosis in humans, Developing Novel Preclinical Models for Neurodevelopmental Disorders - From Bedside to Bench, Translating membrane proteins into therapeutics; from bedside to bench, Mentoring and Neuroimaging Research on White Matter Pathology in Schizophrenia, Establishing a biomarker for anorexia nervosa, IRON IN DISEASES OF THE AGEING BRAIN: from bench to clinic, "Let's Get Smarter". Improving cognition in mental illness., Neuroimaging of the Biological Correlates of Early Psychosis: A MR-PET Study, G7692796284, High Resolution, Comprehensive Atlases of the Human Brain Morphology, Human Connectome Project for Early Psychosis, Mapping the superficial white matter connectome of the human brain using ultra high resolution multi-contrast diffusion MRI
OpenAlex ID: W4386032915