ABSTRACT
The aim of this observational study was to examine the short-term effectiveness of a structured, largely manualised day hospital treatment, as well as the stability of short-term effects in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). Eighty-three patients, 47 with AN and 36 with BN, were assessed at pre-treatment, at the end of the day hospital treatment and at follow-up approximately one year after post-treatment. Outcome measures were body mass index (BMI), disturbed eating attitudes and behaviours assessed by the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI), frequency of bingeing and purging, and general psychopathology assessed by the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). At the end of the day hospital treatment, significant improvements could be found on all outcome variables (frequency of binge eating/vomiting/laxative abuse, BMI and core EDI-subscales 'drive for thinness'/'bulimia'/'body dissatisfaction'). Effect sizes were generally large (.74 > d < 2.44). The effects were maintained or improved until follow-up (18 months). At follow-up, 40.2% of AN patients and 40.4% of BN patients could be classified as remitted. General psychopathological impairment was also significantly reduced at post-treatment and maintained until follow-up. The results demonstrate both the short-term effectiveness and long-term stability of day hospital treatment in a large sample of patients with anorexia and BN.
Subject(s)
Anorexia Nervosa/psychology , Anorexia Nervosa/rehabilitation , Behavior Therapy , Bulimia Nervosa/psychology , Bulimia Nervosa/rehabilitation , Day Care, Medical/methods , Body Image , Humans , Interpersonal Relations , Neurotic Disorders/classification , Personality Inventory , Psychotic Disorders/classification , Referral and Consultation , Treatment Outcome , Trust , Weight GainABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The brain regions that are critically involved in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa have not been clearly elucidated. Moreover, decrease in cerebral tissue during extreme malnutrition has been demonstrated repeatedly in anorexia nervosa, but data regarding the reversibility of this cerebral tissue decrease are conflicting. The authors examined region-specific gray matter changes and global cerebral volumes in recovered patients with anorexia nervosa. METHOD: High-resolution, T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and voxel-based morphometry were performed in 22 recovered women with anorexia nervosa and in 37 healthy comparison women. Recovery was defined as a body mass index above 17.0 kg/m(2) and regular menses for at least 6 months. RESULTS: The global volumes of gray matter (but not white matter) were decreased in patients with anorexia nervosa by approximately 1%. Analyses of region-specific gray matter changes revealed a gray matter decrease bilaterally in the anterior cingulate cortex of approximately 5%, which remained significant after correction for global effects. This gray matter decrease correlated significantly with the lowest body mass index of lifetime but not with other clinical variables. CONCLUSIONS: In anorexia nervosa, part of the global gray matter loss persists over the long run. Region-specific gray matter loss in the anterior cingulate cortex is directly related to the severity of anorexia nervosa, indicating an important role of this area in the pathophysiology of the disorder. Further research is warranted to determine the cause, specificity, and functional consequences of this structural brain change in anorexia nervosa.
