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Structural brain changes in patients with anorexia nervosa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

R. J. Dolan*
Affiliation:
Academic Department of Psychiatry, Royal Free Hospital, London
J. Mitchell
Affiliation:
Academic Department of Psychiatry, Royal Free Hospital, London
A. Wakeling
Affiliation:
Academic Department of Psychiatry, Royal Free Hospital, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr R. J. Dolan, The National Hospital, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG.

Synopsis

Twenty-five patients with anorexia nervosa were compared with 17 normal healthy control subjects in terms of their cerebral computed tomographic (CT) scan appearances. The patients displayed significantly greater ventricular and sulcal enlargement when compared to control subjects. There were no relationships between the CT scan appearance and clinical indices of illness severity or weight loss in the patient group. In 14 patients who had repeat scans after attaining normal body weight, no significant change was observed in the ventricular appearance, but there was a significant lessening in the degree of sulcal widening.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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