Cognitions and emotions in eating disorders
Nicolette Siep1, Anita Jansen, Remco Havermans
1Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, The Netherlands. Nicolette.Siep@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences
|January 19, 2011
Summary
Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) exhibit cognitive biases in processing stimuli related to food and body image. Preliminary evidence suggests cognitive retraining may improve body satisfaction and eating behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- The cognitive model of eating disorders (EDs) posits that biased information processing maintains the disorder.
- Cognitive biases systematically distort an individual's experiences, contributing to the persistence of EDs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present an updated literature review of experimental studies on cognitive biases in EDs.
- To explore potential therapeutic manipulations of cognitive biases and processes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of experimental studies investigating cognitive biases in individuals with EDs.
- Analysis of studies examining general cognitive abilities in ED patients.
Main Results:
- ED patients demonstrate attentional, interpretative, and memory biases for food, weight, and body shape cues.
- ED patients also show deficits in general cognitive functions like set shifting, central coherence, and decision-making.
- Preliminary studies indicate potential effectiveness of attention retraining and cognitive modulation of food reward processing.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive biases are integral to the maintenance of eating disorders.
- Cognitive retraining strategies show promise for improving body satisfaction, reducing food cravings, and modifying eating behaviors.
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