People with anorexia nervosa show significant shrinkage in three important areas of the brain, new research reveals.
The researchers said their study findings highlight the importance of early treatment, to prevent long-term structural brain changes in people with the eating and mental health disorder.
The study involved analysis of nearly 2,000 brain scans from people with anorexia, including those in recovery, and a control group of people with no history of the eating disorder.
People with anorexia showed "sizeable reductions" in three critical measures of the brain: cortical thickness; subcortical volumes; and cortical surface area.
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