Relationships of eating behaviors with psychopathology, brain maturation and genetic risk for obesity in an adolescent cohort study

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Xinyang Yu - , King's College London (KCL) (Author)
  • Zuo Zhang - , King's College London (KCL) (Author)
  • Moritz Herle - , King's College London (KCL) (Author)
  • Tobias Banaschewski - , Heidelberg University  (Author)
  • Gareth J. Barker - , King's College London (KCL) (Author)
  • Arun L.W. Bokde - , Trinity College Dublin (Author)
  • Herta Flor - , Heidelberg University , University of Mannheim (Author)
  • Antoine Grigis - , Université Paris-Saclay (Author)
  • Hugh Garavan - , University of Vermont (Author)
  • Penny Gowland - , University of Nottingham (Author)
  • Andreas Heinz - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Rüdiger Brühl - , National Metrology Institute of Germany (PTB) (Author)
  • Jean Luc Martinot - , Université Paris-Saclay (Author)
  • Marie Laure Paillère Martinot - , Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université (Author)
  • Eric Artiges - , Université Paris-Saclay (Author)
  • Frauke Nees - , Heidelberg University , University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel (Author)
  • Dimitri Papadopoulos Orfanos - , Université Paris-Saclay (Author)
  • Hervé Lemaître - , Université Paris-Saclay, Université de Bordeaux (Author)
  • Tomáš Paus - , University of Montreal (Author)
  • Luise Poustka - , University of Göttingen (Author)
  • Sarah Hohmann - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Nathalie Holz - , Heidelberg University  (Author)
  • Christian Bäuchl - , Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (Author)
  • Michael N. Smolka - , Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (Author)
  • Nilakshi Vaidya - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Henrik Walter - , Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (Author)
  • Robert Whelan - , Trinity College Dublin (Author)
  • Ulrike Schmidt - , King's College London (KCL), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (Author)
  • Gunter Schumann - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Fudan University (Author)
  • Sylvane Desrivières - , King's College London (KCL) (Author)
  • Juliane H. Fröhner - , Neuroimaging Center, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (Author)
  • Bernd Ittermann - , National Metrology Institute of Germany (PTB) (Author)
  • Christian Büchel - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Uli Bromberg - , University of Hamburg (Author)

Abstract

Unhealthy eating, a risk factor for eating disorders (EDs) and obesity, often coexists with emotional and behavioral problems; however, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are poorly understood. Analyzing data from the longitudinal IMAGEN adolescent cohort, we investigated associations between eating behaviors, genetic predispositions for high body mass index (BMI) using polygenic scores (PGSs), and trajectories (ages 14–23 years) of ED-related psychopathology and brain maturation. Clustering analyses at age 23 years (N = 996) identified 3 eating groups: restrictive, emotional/uncontrolled and healthy eaters. BMI PGS, trajectories of ED symptoms, internalizing and externalizing problems, and brain maturation distinguished these groups. Decreasing volumes and thickness in several brain regions were less pronounced in restrictive and emotional/uncontrolled eaters. Smaller cerebellar volume reductions uniquely mediated the effects of BMI PGS on restrictive eating, whereas smaller volumetric reductions across multiple brain regions mediated the relationship between elevated externalizing problems and emotional/uncontrolled eating, independently of BMI. These findings shed light on distinct contributions of genetic risk, protracted brain maturation and behaviors in ED symptomatology.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number3
Pages (from-to)58-70
Number of pages13
JournalNature Mental Health
Volume3
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0001-5615-3645/work/203808131
ORCID /0000-0002-8493-6396/work/203813709
ORCID /0000-0001-5398-5569/work/203814400