CEREBRAL GRAY-MATTER AND WHITE-MATTER VOLUME DEFICITS IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS WITH ANOREXIA-NERVOSA

Objectives: This study was undertaken to determine whether the increas ed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volumes found in anorexia nervosa (AN) ar e the result of differences in gray matter or white matter volumes or both. Methods: Thirteen adolescent girls with AN who were receiving in patient care at a tertiary-care university children's hospital and eig ht healthy female control subjects were studied by using magnetic reso nance imaging. Images were processed by means of software developed to classify all pixels as either CSF, gray matter, or white matter. Pixe ls of each class were then summed across all sections. Results: The AN group Rad larger total CSF volumes in association with deficits in bo th total gray matter and total white matter volumes. Lowest reported b ody mass index was inversely correlated with fetal CSF volume and posi tively correlated with total gray matter volume. Urinary free cortisol levels were positively correlated with total CSF volume and inversely correlated with central gray matter volume. Conclusions: These findin gs add support to the view that the brain abnormalities found in AN ar e in large part the result of the effects of the illness. The extent t o which these differences in gray matter and white matter volumes are reversible with recovery remains to be established.