The abstract is read at the publisher; the summary is JClub's.
In 369 female participants with bulimia nervosa, ENIGMA meta-analysis linked diagnosis to smaller nucleus accumbens volume (d=-0.20) and reduced superior/transverse temporal surface area (d≈-0.24 to -0.26).
- Why it matters: Neuroimaging findings in bulimia nervosa have been inconsistent across small studies, limiting reliable targets for neurobiological models of diagnosis and symptom severity.
- What they did: Across 13 international sites (17 cohorts), researchers harmonized 3D T1 MRI using ENIGMA-standardized pipelines and tested cortical thickness, surface area, and subcortical volumes against diagnosis and binge/compensatory symptom measures.
- The result: Cortical thickness showed no significant group differences, while most surface area and nucleus accumbens findings persisted after controlling for BMI, illness duration, depressive symptoms, medication, and purging; binge-eating frequency correlated with lower surface area (r=-0.20 to -0.14) but compensatory behaviors showed no anatomical associations.
The findingWhy it mattersWhat they didThe result
AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.