THE ESSENTIAL
- Young adults who suffered from ED had delayed brain development during adolescence, compared to participants who did not have ED.
- In detail, this developmental delay is a slower and delayed maturation of the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum during adolescence.
- This discovery could ultimately make it possible to better detect TCAs, before the first signs.
In France, 600,000 adolescents and young adults are affected by eating disorders (TCA), which mainly include anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating disorder, according to the Hauts-de-France Regional Health Agency (ARS). In general, women are more affected by EDs than men.
Several factors can be at the origin of the development of an ED: familial, genetic, biological, psychological (such as depression), socio-cultural or even difficult life events, such as bereavement or separation. Adding to this list is a new study, published in the journal Nature Mental Healthadds a factor: delayed brain development during adolescence.
TCA: a study to identify the factors of risque
During their work, the scientists followed nearly 996 young people (478 boys and 518 girls) from 14 to 23 years old coming from England, Ireland, France and Germany. These volunteers provided genetic data and completed questionnaires on their well-being and eating behaviors. They also made of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations at the beginning (age 14) and at the end of the study (age 23).
At age 23, participants were divided into three groups, based on their eating habits:
- healthy eaters (42%), who do not have eating problems;
- restrictive eaters (33%): suffering from anorexia, they restrict themselves from eating, particularly for reasons of weight and appearance;
- emotional or uncontrolled eaters (25%): suffering from bulimia, they have compulsive eating behavior or in response to negative feelings.
Detect EDs such as bulimia or anorexia before the first signs
Results: Analysis of MRI scans shows that people who suffered from ED (restrictive, emotional or uncontrolled eaters) had maturation of the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum – two areas of the brain involved in complex behaviors and appetite – slower and delayed in adolescence, compared to participants who did not have ED.
This study could therefore be a basis for developing screening tools. Indeed, the differences between brain MRI examinations of young adults who develop EDs and those who do not are visible from adolescence. The authors therefore indicate that the analysis of MRIs could therefore make it possible to screen, in advance, the people most at risk and prevent TCAs, even before the first signs appear.
