title: Evidence for Thalamocortical Circuit Abnormalities and Associated Cognitive Dysfunctions in Underweight Individuals with Anorexia Nervosa.
abstract: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterized by extremely low body weight resulting from pathological food restriction, and carries a mortality rate among the highest of any psychiatric illness. AN, particularly during the acute, underweight state of the illness, has been associated with abnormalities across a range of brain regions, including the frontal cortex and basal ganglia. Few studies of AN have investigated the thalamus, a key mediator of information flow through frontal-basal ganglia circuit loops. We examined both thalamic surface morphology using anatomical MRI and thalamo-frontal functional connectivity using resting-state functional MRI. Individuals with AN (n=28) showed localized inward deformations of the thalamus relative to healthy controls (HC, n=22), and abnormal functional connectivity between the thalamus and the dorsolateral and anterior prefrontal cortices. Alterations in thalamo-frontal connectivity were associated with deficits in performance on tasks probing cognitive control (Stroop task) and working memory (Letter-Number Sequencing (LNS) task). Our findings suggest that abnormalities in thalamo-frontal circuits may have a role in mediating aspects of cognitive dysfunction in underweight individuals with AN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Biezonski
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jiook
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steinglass
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Posner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013788:Thalamus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013851:Thinness / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult