Interoception in Female Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Versus Restrictive Eating Disorders

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Psychiatry
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Female individuals with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) have a higher incidence of restrictive eating disorders (REDs).
• Both IBDs and REDs may share common underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.
• Investigating shared characteristics can elucidate disease etiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare eating symptomatology and interoceptive profiles in female adolescents with IBDs versus those with REDs.
• To test the hypothesis that these two clinical populations exhibit similar interoceptive characteristics.
• To identify potential shared risk factors and inform clinical management.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 33 female adolescents with IBDs and 54 age/gender-matched controls with REDs.
• Utilized the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3) to assess eating disorder features.
• Employed the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness-2 (MAIA-2) to evaluate interoceptive awareness.

Main Results:

• 27% of IBD patients exhibited an eating and interoceptive profile comparable to REDs patients.
• IBD patients at risk for REDs reported lower scores on MAIA-2 subscales ('Not-Worrying', 'Trusting').
• Findings suggest significant overlap in interoceptive experiences between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Adolescents with IBDs at risk for EDs share comparable interoceptive profiles with diagnosed REDs patients.
• This similarity points to shared pathogenic mechanisms, particularly involving the gut-brain axis (GBA).
• Further research into the GBA is crucial for understanding and treating these co-occurring conditions.