Work

Neurocognitive correlates of Food and Alcohol Disturbances: An integrated neuropsychological investigation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Food and Alcohol Disturbance (FAD) represents a functional relationship between alcohol use and eating behaviors, in which individuals engage in disordered eating to enhance alcohol intoxication and/or compensate for alcohol-related caloric intake. FAD is highly prevalent among young adults, particularly University students. While the biopsychosocial correlates of FAD are documented, its specific neurocognitive correlates remain unexplored, despite extensive literature describing the distinct neurocognitive correlates of alcohol consumption and eating disorders. We therefore investigated whether FAD is associated with neurocognitive correlates in university students and examined whether different FAD sub-dimensions relate to distinct cognitive profiles. We assessed FAD in 130 French university students using the CEBRACS scale and administered an extensive neuropsychological battery measuring visuospatial abilities, episodic memory, and executive functions. We compared cognitive performance between individuals who do and do not engage in FAD and then conducted exploratory multivariate regression analyses to identify variations in cognitive profiles across the CEBRACS subscales. The general comparison between individuals who do and do not engage in FAD did not reveal significant differences. Conversely, analyses of the CEBRACS subscales identified specific patterns: (1) dietary restraint was associated with poorer visuospatial abilities and verbal episodic memory; (2) purging behaviors were associated with lower executive functioning but improved visual episodic memory; (3) extreme fasting and self-induced vomiting were associated with poorer visual episodic memory performance but higher executive functioning. These findings suggest that FAD is an umbrella term encompassing various cognitive profiles according to the distinct eating behaviors involved and highlight the importance of considering the subcomponents of FAD when exploring its neurocognitive correlates. • Food and Alcohol Disturbance (FAD) is prevalent among young adults, but its neurocognitive correlates remain unknown • We compared the neuropsychological profiles of individuals who do and do not engage in FAD. • Individuals who engage in dietary restraint showed reduced visuospatial abilities and verbal memory. • We observed associations between purging behaviors and lower executive functioning, as well as between extreme fasting and reduced visual recall • FAD is an umbrella term encompassing varying behaviors, each related to distinct neurocognitive correlates.

Source: Journal of Psychiatric Research

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.020

Authors: Ludivine Ritz, Nicolas Mauny, Charlotte Montcharmont, Hélène Beaunieux, Pierre Maurage