Reduced connectivity between the left fusiform body area and the extrastriate body area in anorexia nervosa is associated with body image distortion

2013 ◽  
Vol 241 ◽  
pp. 80-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Suchan ◽  
Denise Soria Bauser ◽  
Martin Busch ◽  
Dietmar Schulte ◽  
Dietrich Grönemeyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Image Distortion ◽  
Body Area ◽  
Body Image Distortion ◽  
Extrastriate Body Area

Looking at my body. Similarities and differences between anorexia nervosa patients and controls in body image visual processing

2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 427-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Castellini ◽  
C. Polito ◽  
E. Bolognesi ◽  
A. D’Argenio ◽  
A. Ginestroni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Neural Response ◽  
Image Distortion ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Image Distortion ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Extrastriate Body Area ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal

AbstractBackgroundBody image distortion is a core symptom of eating disorders. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies on body image processing, described different patterns of neural response, mainly involving the inferior and superior parietal lobules, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), with conflicting results.MethodsThe neural response to the view of their own body pictures (normal size and distorted) was evaluated in 18 female anorexia nervosa (AN) restricting type patients, and in 19 healthy female subjects (HC) using fMRI. Clinical assessment was performed by means of the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV and self-reported questionnaires.ResultsIn response to the body image distortion, patients and controls showed an inverse pattern of activation, with the widest extent of activation in the oversize condition in AN, while in the undersize condition in HC. AN and HC showed a similar pattern of neural response to the view of their own body, with an increased activation in the extrastriate body area, superior and inferior parietal lobule and prefrontal areas, although the extent of activation in HC was more limited as compared with AN patients. Increased activity in AN patients, compared with HC, was observed in the DLPFC in response to the oversized body picture and a significant correlation was found in AN patients between DLPFC activation and eating disorder psychopathology.ConclusionsOur findings suggest the existence of a continuum from normalcy to pathology in neural response to body image, and confirm the clinical relevance of body image distortion in AN, reinforcing the key role of attentive, executive and self-evaluation networks in AN visual processing of own distorted body image.

scholarly journals Characterizing Body Image Distortion and Bodily Self-Plasticity in Anorexia Nervosa via Visuo-Tactile Stimulation in Virtual Reality

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Provenzano ◽  
Giuseppina Porciello ◽  
Sofia Ciccarone ◽  
Bigna Lenggenhager ◽  
Gaetano Tieri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Body Dissatisfaction ◽  
Image Distortion ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Body Image Distortion ◽  
Person Perspective ◽  
Original Weight

We combined virtual reality and multisensory bodily illusion with the aim to characterize and reduce the perceptual (body overestimation) and the cognitive-emotional (body dissatisfaction) components of body image distortion (BID) in anorexia nervosa (AN). For each participant (20 anorexics, 20 healthy controls) we built personalized avatars that reproduced their own body size, shape, and verisimilar increases and losses of their original weight. Body overestimation and dissatisfaction were measured by asking participants to choose the avatar that best resembled their real and ideal body. Results show higher body dissatisfaction in AN, caused by the desire of a thinner body, and no body-size overestimation. Interpersonal multisensory stimulation (IMS) was then applied on the avatar reproducing participant’s perceived body, and on the two avatars which reproduced increases and losses of 15% of it, all presented with a first-person perspective (1PP). Embodiment was stronger after synchronous IMS in both groups, but did not reduce BID in participants with AN. Interestingly, anorexics reported more negative emotions after embodying the fattest avatar, which scaled with symptoms severity. Overall, our findings suggest that the cognitive-emotional, more than the perceptual component of BID is severely altered in AN and that perspective (1PP vs. 3PP) from which a body is evaluated may play a crucial role. Future research and clinical trials might take advantage of virtual reality to reduce the emotional distress related to body dissatisfaction.

Body-image distortion in anorexia nervosa

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonios Dakanalis ◽  
Santino Gaudio ◽  
Silvia Serino ◽  
Massimo Clerici ◽  
Giuseppe Carrà ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Image Distortion ◽  
Body Image Distortion

Disturbances in Body Image Estimation as Related to Other Characteristics and Outcome in Anorexia Nervosa

1979 ◽  
Vol 134 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina C. Casper ◽  
Katherine A. Halmi ◽  
Solomon C. Goldberg ◽  
Elke D. Eckert ◽  
John M. Davis
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Image Distortion ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Size Estimation ◽  
Body Image Distortion ◽  
Image Estimation ◽  
Visual Size ◽  
Female Control

SummaryBody image distortion in 79 female anorexia nervosa patients were examined on a visual-size estimation apparatus during the emaciated stage of illness. Both they and an age-matched female control group overestimated their body widths, so this overestimation cannot be considered unique to anorexia nervosa. Among anorexia patients the degree of overestimation was associated with less weight gain during treatment, greater denial of illness, and several other pretreatment characteristics indicative of poor outcome.

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