Cognitive Functioning as a Predictor of Weight Gain in Anorexia Nervosa

The study aimed to determine whether the cognitive functioning of individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) at the start of treatment predicts weight increase during the following year.

Female participants (n = 226, age 16 years and older) with AN or atypical AN completed a neuropsychological assessment, covering a broad range of cognitive functions, at the start of treatment. BMI was determined at three-month intervals for a period of 1 year. Latent growth curve modeling was used to test associations between neuropsychological functioning and weight gain trajectories.

Stronger central coherence, as assessed by the Rey Complex Figure immediate recall, was associated with a more favorable (linear) trajectory of weight gain. In addition, both low and high levels of inhibitory control, as assessed by the inhibition subtest of the D-KEFS Color Word Interference Test (adjusted for speed) were linked to less optimal weight development over time.

These findings suggest that stronger central coherence may support weight gain in AN. The observed association between both high and low levels of inhibitory control and less favorable weight trajectories is novel and may point to the relevance of self-regulatory functioning in recovery; however, further investigation is needed. Replication and studies with longer follow-up are necessary to clarify these associations and inform more tailored treatment approaches.