Eye-tracking research in eating disorders: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) exhibit attentional biases towards disorder-relevant stimuli like food and body shape.
• Traditional reaction time measures for attentional bias in EDs have limitations in assessing temporal dynamics and attentional components.
• Eye-tracking offers enhanced ecological validity and detailed insights into perceptual and attentional processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and summarize existing eye-tracking studies conducted on clinical populations with eating disorders.
• To consolidate findings on gaze parameters and attentional patterns in individuals with EDs compared to healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was performed using PRISMA guidelines across electronic databases.
• Studies comparing gaze parameters in individuals with EDs and healthy controls (HCs) were included.
• Thirty-one studies met the inclusion criteria for this qualitative review.

Main Results:

• Consistent evidence of attentional biases toward food and body stimuli was found across various ED diagnoses.
• Anorexia nervosa (AN) demonstrated distinct patterns of attention to social information.
• Differences in smooth pursuit and saccadic eye movements were identified in AN populations.

Conclusions:

• Eye-tracking research in EDs supports findings on attentional biases and reveals specific patterns in AN.
• The findings align with attentional bias research in other psychiatric disorders.
• Recommendations for future eye-tracking studies in EDs are provided, suggesting potential therapeutic avenues.