title: Do executive functioning deficits underpin binge eating disorder? A comparison of overweight women with and without binge eating pathology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Deficits in executive function (EF)-including inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, decision-making, and working memory-may be risk or maintenance factors for binge eating disorder (BED). However, there is mixed evidence regarding EF deficits in individuals with BED. Significant methodological weaknesses (e.g., use of a single EF measure, omission of relevant covariates) in the current literature represent one reason for lack of consensus.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study compared EF in a sample of overweight women with (n = 31) and without (n = 43) full or subthreshold BED, with the aim of conducting a multifaceted investigation of the neurocognitive profile of BED. A neuropsychological battery of EF was administered to all participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After controlling for IQ and age, individuals with binge eating displayed significantly poorer performance on tasks of problem-solving and inhibitory control, and displayed higher prioritization of immediate versus delayed rewards, but the two groups did not appear to differ on set-shifting, working memory, and risk taking. Differences in inhibitory control were no longer statistically significant when depressive symptomology was added as a covariate and correction for multiple comparisons was applied. Exploratory analyses indicated that full and sub-threshold BED groups did not differ in EF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results partially support the hypothesis of relative EF deficits in individuals with BED, suggesting that binge eating may be maintained by cognitive factors distinct from those of obesity. Future research should aim to replicate with a larger sample, control for a wider range of psychiatric comorbidities, and examine whether EF deficits predict treatment outcome.
authors: Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors: Stephanie M
authors: SM
authors: Manasse
authors: Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors: Evan M
authors: EM
authors: Forman
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Canada.
authors: Anthony C
authors: AC
authors: Ruocco
authors: Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors: Meghan L
authors: ML
authors: Butryn
authors: Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors: Adrienne S
authors: AS
authors: Juarascio
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
authors: Kathleen Kara
authors: KK
authors: Fitzpatrick
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009484:Neuropsychology / Q000379:methods*; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: binge eating disorder; cognitive function; delayed discounting; executive function; inhibitory control; loss-of-control eating; neuropsychology; obesity; problem-solving
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