Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa: cognitive performance after weight recovery

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is often associated with cognitive impairments, particularly in visual-spatial abilities.
• Previous research on adults with AN suggests deficits in neuropsychological functions, but consensus is lacking.
• Adolescent AN cognitive function and recovery are less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate cognitive functions in adolescent females with AN before and after weight recovery.
• To investigate the relationship between cognitive performance and menstrual recovery in adolescent AN patients.

Main Methods:

• A neuropsychological battery assessed 25 female adolescents with AN (underweight and post-recovery).
• A control group of 26 healthy females was also assessed at both time points.
• Cognitive tests included immediate recall, Rey's Complex Figure Test, Block Design, Visual Reproduction, and Stroop Test.

Main Results:

• Adolescents with AN showed poorer performance on specific cognitive tests compared to controls when underweight.
• Following weight recovery, AN patients demonstrated significant cognitive improvements, eliminating group differences.
• AN patients with persistent amenorrhea performed worse than those with resumed menstruation, despite similar BMI and psychopathology.

Conclusions:

• Weight recovery is crucial for improving cognitive functioning in adolescents with AN.
• Normalization of neuropsychological performance is more complete in AN patients who have resumed menstruation.
• Hormonal normalization, indicated by menstruation, appears essential for full cognitive recovery in adolescent AN.