title: Brain effects of computer-assisted cognitive remediation therapy in anorexia nervosa: A pilot fMRI study.
abstract: Poor cognitive-behavioral flexibility is considered a trait marker in anorexia nervosa (AN) that can be improved by cognitive remediation therapy (CRT). The present pilot study aimed at identifying changes in brain function potentially associated with CRT in AN. Data was obtained from a randomized, controlled trial. Twenty-four patients were assessed before and after 30 sessions of either CRT or a non-specific neurocognitive therapy. Voxel-wise analysis of whole brain functional magnetic resonance imaging was applied. Brain activation was measured during response inhibition and task switching. Although results did not reach significance, we found tentative support for CRT-related increases in brain activation in the dorsal putamen during task switching and in the dorsolateral prefrontal, sensorimotor and temporal cortex during response inhibition. These pilot findings provide viable pathways for future research on brain changes underlying CRT in AN.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: timo.brockmeyer@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brockmeyer
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Walther
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ingenerf
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Mechthild
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.affiliation: Section of Experimental Psychopathology and Neurophysiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, SRH Hospital Karlsbad-Langensteinbach, Karlsbad, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weisbrod
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Marc-André
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Hospital Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Annegret
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eckhardt-Henn
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Herzog
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LVR-clinics, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Christoph
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Friederich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cognitive flexibility; Eating disorders; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Neuroimaging; Response inhibition; Set-shifting; Task switching