title: Biomarkers of Eating Disorders Using Support Vector Machine Analysis of Structural Neuroimaging Data: Preliminary Results.
abstract: Presently, there are no valid biomarkers to identify individuals with eating disorders (ED). The aim of this work was to assess the feasibility of a machine learning method for extracting reliable neuroimaging features allowing individual categorization of patients with ED. Support Vector Machine (SVM) technique, combined with a pattern recognition method, was employed utilizing structural magnetic resonance images. Seventeen females with ED (six with diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and 11 with bulimia nervosa) were compared against 17 body mass index-matched healthy controls (HC). Machine learning allowed individual diagnosis of ED versus HC with an Accuracy ≥ 0.80. Voxel-based pattern recognition analysis demonstrated that voxels influencing the classification Accuracy involved the occipital cortex, the posterior cerebellar lobule, precuneus, sensorimotor/premotor cortices, and the medial prefrontal cortex, all critical regions known to be strongly involved in the pathophysiological mechanisms of ED. Although these findings should be considered preliminary given the small size investigated, SVM analysis highlights the role of well-known brain regions as possible biomarkers to distinguish ED from HC at an individual level, thus encouraging the translational implementation of this new multivariate approach in the clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: IBFM-CNR, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cerasa
authors.affiliation: IBFM-CNR, University of Milan-Bicocca, H S. Raffaele, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate, Italy.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Castiglioni
authors.affiliation: IBFM-CNR, University of Milan-Bicocca, H S. Raffaele, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate, Italy.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.affiliation: Associazione Centro Trauma Ippocampo, Via Rossini 5, 87100 Castrolibero, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Funaro
authors.affiliation: IBFM-CNR, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Iolanda
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.affiliation: Associazione Centro Trauma Ippocampo, Via Rossini 5, 87100 Castrolibero, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alfano
authors.affiliation: IBFM-CNR, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Donzuso
authors.affiliation: IBFM-CNR, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perrotta
authors.affiliation: IBFM-CNR, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Cecilia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gioia
authors.affiliation: IBFM-CNR, University of Milan-Bicocca, H S. Raffaele, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Carla
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gilardi
authors.affiliation: IBFM-CNR, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy ; Unit of Neurology, "Magna Graecia" University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quattrone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D059906:Neuroimaging; D060388:Support Vector Machine
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers