Shared Versus Unique Features of Neural Activation During Cognitive Flexibility Across Restrictive Eating Disorder...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Restrictive eating disorders (EDs), including anorexia nervosa (AN) and atypical AN (Atyp-AN), are linked to cognitive rigidity.
• The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is crucial for cognitive control, but its role in EDs is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in dlPFC activation during cognitive flexibility tasks across restrictive ED presentations.
• To explore associations between dlPFC activation and ED symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Eighty-seven females with restrictive EDs underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a task-switching paradigm.
• dlPFC activation was examined during sustained (task-switching vs. single task) and transient control (rule switching vs. rule repetition).

Main Results:

• The AN group exhibited distinct left dlPFC activation patterns compared to other groups, primarily due to reduced activation during single-task conditions.
• No group differences were observed in task performance or dlPFC activation during task switching.
• Increased dlPFC activation during task switching was associated with greater restraint symptoms across all participants.

Conclusions:

• Findings reveal shared and unique neural characteristics of cognitive control in restrictive EDs.
• Heightened dlPFC activation during transient control may be a transdiagnostic feature of restrictive EDs.
• Altered dlPFC activation during sustained control in typical AN warrants consideration for tailored interventions.