Brain lesions and eating disorders.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the relation between lesions of various brain structures and the development of eating disorders and thus inform the neurobiological research on the aetiology of these mental illnesses.


METHODS
We systematically reviewed 54 previously published case reports of eating disorders with brain damage. Lesion location, presence of typical psychopathology, and evidence suggestive of causal association were recorded.


RESULTS
Although simple changes in appetite and eating behaviour occur with hypothalamic and brain stem lesions, more complex syndromes, including characteristic psychopathology of eating disorders, are associated with right frontal and temporal lobe damage.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings challenge the traditional view that eating disorders are linked to hypothalamic disturbance and suggest a major role of frontotemporal circuits with right hemispheric predominance in the pathogenesis.
Uher
R
R
PO59 Eating Disorders Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK. r.uher@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Treasure
J
J
D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed