title: Electrocortical processing of food and emotional pictures in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
abstract: Objective To compare the electrocortical processing of food pictures in participants with anorexia nervosa (n = 21), bulimia nervosa (n = 22), and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 32) by measuring the early posterior negativity, an event-related potential that reflects stimulus salience and selective attention. Methods We exposed these three groups to a rapid stream of high- and low-calorie food pictures, as well as standard emotional and neutral pictures. Results Event-related potentials in the time range of 220 milliseconds to 310 milliseconds on posterior electrodes differed between groups: patients with eating disorders showed facilitated processing of both high- and low-calorie food pictures relative to neutral pictures, whereas HC participants did so only for the high-calorie pictures. Subjective palatability of the pictures was rated highest by patients with anorexia nervosa, followed by the HC and bulimia nervosa groups. Conclusions Patients with eating disorders show a generalized attentional bias for food images, regardless of caloric value. This might explain the persistent preoccupation with food in these individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute for Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA. jens.blechert@gmail.com
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blechert
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Feige
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Joos
authors.forename: Almut
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zeeck
authors.forename: Brunna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tuschen-Caffier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003463:Cues; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D055815:Young Adult