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Stroop interference task and single-photon emission tomography in anorexia: a preliminary report.
Antonio Maria Ferro1, Andrea Brugnolo, Caterina De Leo
1Center for Eating Disorders, S. Corona Hospital, Savona, Italy.
The International Journal of Eating Disorders
|October 19, 2005
Summary
This preliminary study in anorexia nervosa (AN) found that brain perfusion in specific frontal areas (BA 6 and BA 8) correlates with executive function performance on the Stroop interference task (SIT). The anterior cingulate may show blunted activity in AN patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Executive function deficits are observed in anorexia nervosa (AN).
- Understanding the neurophysiologic basis of these deficits is crucial for targeted interventions.
- Brain perfusion alterations may underlie cognitive impairments in AN.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physiological substrate of executive function in AN.
- To assess the relationship between brain perfusion and performance on the Stroop interference task (SIT).
Main Methods:
- 16 female AN patients underwent the classical SIT test.
- Brain single-photon emission tomography (SPET) was used to measure brain perfusion.
- Statistical parametric mapping (SPM 99) analyzed the correlation between SIT performance and brain perfusion.
Main Results:
- 25% of AN patients exhibited low or borderline SIT performance.
- A significant correlation was found between SIT scores and brain perfusion in the superior frontal gyrus (Brodmann's area [BA] 6 bilaterally, BA 8 on the right).
- No significant correlation was observed in the anterior cingulate gyrus.
Conclusions:
- Activity in BA 6 and BA 8 reflects executive tasks in AN patients.
- The lack of correlation in the anterior cingulate may indicate blunted activity, similar to conditions with impaired executive function.
- Findings are preliminary due to study limitations, including a small sample size and lack of a control group.