Cognitive dysfunction in people with eating disorders.

UNLABELLED: Using central nervous system (CNS) neuroimaging techniques, it was possible to identify structural changes in the brain associated with eating disorders. Due to the occurrence of organic changes, the search for the impact of these changes on the cognitive sphere was undertaken. Research to date suggests that people with eating disorders exhibit cognitive dysfunction. However, these results remain inconsistent.

AIM: The aim of the study was to check whether people with eating disorders (anorexia nervosa and bulimia) have cognitive deficits.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

40 female participants took part in the study. The research group consisted of people with eating disorders, while the control group consisted of healthy people. The study included a diagnostic interview and original diagnostic tools: Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Color Trials Test (CTT), d2, California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), Rey- Osterrieth complex figure (ROCF), and WAIS-R- Digit Span.

RESULTS

On the basis of the conducted study, the occurrence of deficits in some aspects of executive functions (planning, cognitive flexibility) and memory (verbal, visual-spatial) in people with eating disorders was demonstrated. It has not been shown that people with eating disorders would experience difficulties in searching the material, however, more errors in the d2 test were observed, which may indicate difficulties with shifting and maintaining attention. The study showed that the duration of the disease affects some aspects of cognitive functioning in people with eating disorders.