Do Children and Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa Display an Inefficient Cognitive Processing Style?

Katie Lang; Samantha Lloyd; Mizanur Khondoker; Mima Simic; Janet Treasure; Kate Tchanturia

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0131724

Do Children and Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa Display an Inefficient Cognitive Processing Style?

PLoS One. 2015 Jul 2;10(7):e0131724. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131724. eCollection 2015.

Authors

Katie Lang¹, Samantha Lloyd¹, Mizanur Khondoker², Mima Simic³, Janet Treasure¹, Kate Tchanturia⁴

Affiliations

¹ King's College London, Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom.
² Biostatistics department, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom.
³ Child and Adolescent Eating Disorder Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
⁴ King's College London, Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom; Illia State University, Department of Psychology, Tbilisi, Georgia.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine neuropsychological processing in children and adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa (AN). The relationship of clinical and demographic variables to neuropsychological functioning within the AN group was also explored.

Method: The performance of 41 children and adolescents with a diagnosis of AN were compared to 43 healthy control (HC) participants on a number of neuropsychological measures.

Results: There were no differences in IQ between AN and HC groups. However, children and adolescents with AN displayed significantly more perseverative errors on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and lower Style and Central Coherence scores on the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test relative to HCs.

Conclusion: Inefficient cognitive processing in the AN group was independent of clinical and demographic variables, suggesting it might represent an underlying trait for AN. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Anorexia Nervosa / psychology*
Child
Cognition*
Female
Humans
Intelligence
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Personality*

Grants and funding

The authors of this study are funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) [Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre and/or Dementia Biomedical Research Unit] at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health. Kate Tchanturia is also funded by the Swiss Anorexia Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.