Employing executive functions of perceptual and memory abilities in underweight and weight-restored anorexia nervosa patients

Eyal Heled, Dan Hoofien, Eytan Bachar, Rena Cooper-Kazaz, Eitan Gur, Richard P. Ebstein

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Results: No differences were found in visuo-constructional measures in either AN groups compared to controls on the copy and memory stages. However, both groups performed significantly worse than controls on most EF variables in the copy stage, while in the immediate and delayed memory stages the difference was less substantial.

Purpose: Executive functions (EF) have been widely investigated in anorexia nervosa (AN) revealing difficulties in various aspects. We aimed at testing the effects of EF on stimuli perception and its representations in memory.

Methods: Thirty AN underweight patients, 30 weight-restored AN patients, and 44 control participants, were recruited. Various EF were assessed using the Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, analyzed with the Boston Qualitative Scoring System.

Conclusions: Difficulties in EF among AN patients, current and weight restored, are more pronounced in the perceptual module and less so when employed through memory retrieval. The pattern, which is apparent after weight gain, suggests that there is no ameliorative effect on these difficulties.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)479-487
Number of pages9
JournalEating and Weight Disorders
Volume19
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Anorexia nervosa
  • Boston Qualitative Scoring System
  • Executive functions
  • Memory
  • Perception
  • Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure Test

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