Annual Research Review: Neural mechanisms of eating disorders in youth - from current theory and findings to future directions.

Eating disorders are prevalent and profoundly debilitating psychiatric conditions with multifactorial etiology that frequently manifest during adolescence. This developmental stage is characterized by significant neurostructural and neurofunctional change, which may create a context conducive to the emergence of eating pathology. In this Annual Research Review, we examine notable changes in brain structure and function that occur during adolescence and elucidate theoretical models that connect neural modifications to eating disorders. Subsequently, we present a narrative review and critical analysis of the extant research on the neural correlates of eating disorders in adolescents and young adults (up to age 24). We conclude by pinpointing gaps in the literature and highlighting avenues for future inquiries into the neural correlates of eating disorders in youth. Overall, this Annual Research Review emphasizes the scarcity of research focused on the neural correlates of eating disorders in young persons and its predominant emphasis on anorexia nervosa in comparison to other eating disorders thus far. Future neurobiological investigations in adolescent eating disorders hold the promise of advancing our knowledge of these complex conditions and improving therapeutic outcomes through the development of mechanistic interventions.