Alterations in Neurobehavioral Networks across Clinical and Subclinical Eating Disorders

Dear Colleagues,

In modern societies, our relationship with food remains problematic. It has been estimated that around 2% of the global population experiences some form of eating disorder during their lifetimes, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge-eating disorder. Eating disorders represent major burdens on an individual’s mental and physical health. For instance, anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate among psychiatric disorders. Binge-eating symptoms, present in binge-eating disorder and bulimia nervosa, are associated with metabolic conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, or hypertension. Finally, mood disorders, such as major depressive disorder, are also common across eating disorders. Despite the enormous suffering that they can cause to the patients and their families, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these conditions remain elusive to date.

In the general population, eating behaviors that are potentially problematic, such as uncontrolled eating, restrictive eating, or emotional eating, might be present along continua. As such, individuals might show stark variations regarding the presence and frequency of these eating behaviors. A focus on these subclinical eating patterns might represent an opportunity in the study of eating disorders, since they might offer valuable information about sources and risk factors associated with these conditions.

We hope that a better understanding of the neurocognitive factors underlying eating-disorder symptoms will help to direct clinical interventions and prevention strategies. In the field of cognitive neuroscience, theoretical and experimental studies have suggested the implication of at least three main brain circuits that could subserve pathological eating behaviors, such as binge eating or restrictive eating. These circuits are  the mesolimbic circuit, associated with the processing of rewards;  fronto-parietal networks, linked to cognitive control and self-regulation; and  the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis, involved in stress responses. The exact role of these neurocognitive factors in the pathophysiology of eating disorders, however, is often complex, and it might be counterintuitive. The clearest example is with regard to cognitive control. Clinical studies have shown that high scores for restrictive eating patterns predict success in weight-loss interventions. However, classic studies by Polivy and Herman have also indicated that restrictive-eating behaviors constitute a risk factor for binge eating.

The proposed Special Issue has two main objectives: (i) to identify which neurobehavioral factors are associated with clinical and non-clinical eating disorders; (ii) to facilitate transdiagnostic cross-talk among researchers working on disordered eating patterns.

We welcome articles presenting original empirical data as well as theoretical work (systematic or narrative reviews) examining the neurocognitive profiles of clinical and non-clinical eating disorders as well as the neurocognitive changes associated with therapeutic approaches. The articles might focus on (a) eating disorders  (i.e., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge-eating disorder) or (b) eating patterns that can be potentially problematic (e.g., uncontrolled eating, restrictive eating, emotional eating, etc.).

Dr. Maria Angeles Jurado
Dr. Isabel Garcia-Garcia
Guest Editors

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• Binge-eating disorder
• Anorexia nervosa
• Bulimia nervosa
• Uncontrolled eating
• Restrictive eating