title: Cortical thickness and brain volumetric analysis in body dysmorphic disorder.
abstract: Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) suffer from preoccupations with perceived defects in physical appearance, causing severe distress and disability. Although BDD affects 1-2% of the population, the neurobiology is not understood. Discrepant results in previous volumetric studies may be due to small sample sizes, and no study has investigated cortical thickness in BDD. The current study is the largest neuroimaging analysis of BDD. Participants included 49 medication-free, right-handed individuals with DSM-IV BDD and 44 healthy controls matched by age, sex, and education. Using high-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, we computed vertex-wise gray matter (GM) thickness on the cortical surface and GM volume using voxel-based morphometry. We also computed volumes in cortical and subcortical regions of interest. In addition to group comparisons, we investigated associations with symptom severity, insight, and anxiety within the BDD group. In BDD, greater anxiety was significantly associated with thinner GM in the left superior temporal cortex and greater GM volume in the right caudate nucleus. There were no significant differences in cortical thickness, GM volume, or volumes in regions of interest between BDD and control subjects. Subtle associations with clinical symptoms may characterize brain morphometric patterns in BDD, rather than large group differences in brain structure.
authors: Imaging Genetics Center, Institute for Neuroimaging & Informatics, Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA; Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, Radiology, Pediatrics, Engineering, & Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angles, CA, USA. Electronic address: Sarah.Madsen@ini.usc.edu.
authors: Sarah K
authors: SK
authors: Madsen
authors: Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Alex
authors: A
authors: Zai
authors: Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Tara
authors: T
authors: Pirnia
authors: Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angles, CA, USA.
authors: Donatello
authors: D
authors: Arienzo
authors: Imaging Genetics Center, Institute for Neuroimaging & Informatics, Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Liang
authors: L
authors: Zhan
authors: Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angles, CA, USA.
authors: Teena D
authors: TD
authors: Moody
authors: Imaging Genetics Center, Institute for Neuroimaging & Informatics, Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA; Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, Radiology, Pediatrics, Engineering, & Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angles, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angles, CA, USA.
authors: Paul M
authors: PM
authors: Thompson
authors: Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angles, CA, USA.
authors: Jamie D
authors: JD
authors: Feusner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D057215:Body Dysmorphic Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D059906:Neuroimaging; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Cortical thickness; Gray matter; MRI; Volume; Voxel-based morphometry