Cortical thickness and brain volumetric analysis in body dysmorphic disorder

Sarah K Madsen; Alex Zai; Tara Pirnia; Donatello Arienzo; Liang Zhan; Teena D Moody; Paul M Thompson; Jamie D Feusner

doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2015.02.003

Cortical thickness and brain volumetric analysis in body dysmorphic disorder

Psychiatry Res. 2015 Apr 30;232(1):115-22. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2015.02.003. Epub 2015 Feb 26.

Authors

Sarah K Madsen¹, Alex Zai², Tara Pirnia², Donatello Arienzo³, Liang Zhan⁴, Teena D Moody³, Paul M Thompson⁵, Jamie D Feusner³

Affiliations

¹ Imaging Genetics Center, Institute for Neuroimaging & Informatics, Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA; Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, Radiology, Pediatrics, Engineering, & Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angles, CA, USA. Electronic address: Sarah.Madsen@ini.usc.edu.
² Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
³ Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angles, CA, USA.
⁴ Imaging Genetics Center, Institute for Neuroimaging & Informatics, Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁵ Imaging Genetics Center, Institute for Neuroimaging & Informatics, Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA; Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, Radiology, Pediatrics, Engineering, & Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angles, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angles, CA, USA.

Abstract

Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) suffer from preoccupations with perceived defects in physical appearance, causing severe distress and disability. Although BDD affects 1-2% of the population, the neurobiology is not understood. Discrepant results in previous volumetric studies may be due to small sample sizes, and no study has investigated cortical thickness in BDD. The current study is the largest neuroimaging analysis of BDD. Participants included 49 medication-free, right-handed individuals with DSM-IV BDD and 44 healthy controls matched by age, sex, and education. Using high-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, we computed vertex-wise gray matter (GM) thickness on the cortical surface and GM volume using voxel-based morphometry. We also computed volumes in cortical and subcortical regions of interest. In addition to group comparisons, we investigated associations with symptom severity, insight, and anxiety within the BDD group. In BDD, greater anxiety was significantly associated with thinner GM in the left superior temporal cortex and greater GM volume in the right caudate nucleus. There were no significant differences in cortical thickness, GM volume, or volumes in regions of interest between BDD and control subjects. Subtle associations with clinical symptoms may characterize brain morphometric patterns in BDD, rather than large group differences in brain structure.

Keywords: Anxiety; Cortical thickness; Gray matter; MRI; Volume; Voxel-based morphometry.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Body Dysmorphic Disorders / pathology*
Brain / pathology*
Female
Gray Matter / pathology*
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
Male
Neuroimaging
Organ Size / physiology
Young Adult

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding