Body representation distortion (BRD) is a core criterion of Anorexia Nervosa (AN), and is usually assessed subjectively, focusing on body shape. We aimed to develop a new assessment to evaluate body representation independently from socially-mediated body image, on a body part with low emotional salience (hands). In a monocentric open label pilot study, we measured hand representations based on explicit (verbal) and implicit (tactile) instructions. Participants, with eyes closed, had to point targeted locations (knuckles and nails of each finger) based on verbal instructions and tactile stimulations to evaluate body representations respectively. Ratios between hand width and finger length were compared between AN (n = 31) and controls (n = 31) and correlated with current body mass index, AN subtype and disease duration. To control that hand distortion was specific to body representation, we also assessed object representation. Hand representation's width/length ratio was significantly increased in patients with AN, whereas no difference was found in object representation. We found no correlation between hand wideness and clinical traits related to eating disorders. Our results propose that BRD is not limited to body parts with high emotional salience, strengthening the hypothesis that anorexia nervosa is associated with profound unspecific BRD.
Abstract
Journal Article
eng
34611215
Verbe, J, et al. "Spatial Hand Representation in Anorexia Nervosa: a Controlled Pilot Study." Scientific Reports, vol. 11, no. 1, 2021, p. 19724.
Verbe J, Lindberg PG, Gorwood P, et al. Spatial hand representation in anorexia nervosa: a controlled pilot study. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):19724.
Verbe, J., Lindberg, P. G., Gorwood, P., Dupin, L., & Duriez, P. (2021). Spatial hand representation in anorexia nervosa: a controlled pilot study. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 19724. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99101-6
Verbe J, et al. Spatial Hand Representation in Anorexia Nervosa: a Controlled Pilot Study. Sci Rep. 2021 10 5;11(1):19724. PubMed PMID: 34611215.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR
T1 - Spatial hand representation in anorexia nervosa: a controlled pilot study.
AU - Verbe,J,
AU - Lindberg,P G,
AU - Gorwood,P,
AU - Dupin,L,
AU - Duriez,P,
Y1 - 2021/10/05/
PY - 2021/07/19/received
PY - 2021/09/13/accepted
PY - 2021/10/6/entrez
PY - 2021/10/7/pubmed
PY - 2021/12/30/medline
SP - 19724
EP - 19724
JF - Scientific reports
JO - Sci Rep
VL - 11
IS - 1
N2 - Body representation distortion (BRD) is a core criterion of Anorexia Nervosa (AN), and is usually assessed subjectively, focusing on body shape. We aimed to develop a new assessment to evaluate body representation independently from socially-mediated body image, on a body part with low emotional salience (hands). In a monocentric open label pilot study, we measured hand representations based on explicit (verbal) and implicit (tactile) instructions. Participants, with eyes closed, had to point targeted locations (knuckles and nails of each finger) based on verbal instructions and tactile stimulations to evaluate body representations respectively. Ratios between hand width and finger length were compared between AN (n = 31) and controls (n = 31) and correlated with current body mass index, AN subtype and disease duration. To control that hand distortion was specific to body representation, we also assessed object representation. Hand representation's width/length ratio was significantly increased in patients with AN, whereas no difference was found in object representation. We found no correlation between hand wideness and clinical traits related to eating disorders. Our results propose that BRD is not limited to body parts with high emotional salience, strengthening the hypothesis that anorexia nervosa is associated with profound unspecific BRD.
SN - 2045-2322
UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/prime/citation/34611215/Spatial_hand_representation_in_anorexia_nervosa:_a_controlled_pilot_study.
DB - PRIME
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -
