Catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype modifies executive functioning and prefrontal functional connectivity in women with anorexia nervosa.

Background: Anorexia nervosa is characterized by high levels of perseveration and inflexibility, which interfere with successful treatments. Dopamine (DA) signalling seems to play a key role in modulating the prefrontal cortex, since both DA deficiency and excess nega tively influence the efficiency of cognitive functions. The present study explores the effect of a functional polymorphism (Val158Met) in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene on the set-shifting abilities and prefrontal functional connectivity of patients with anorexia nervosa.

Disruption of visuospatial and somatosensory functional connectivity in anorexia nervosa.

Background: Although body image disturbance is considered one of the core characteristics of anorexia nervosa (AN), the exact nature of this complex feature is poorly understood. Task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging studies can only partially explore the multimodal complexity of body consciousness, which is a complex cognition underpinned by aspects of visual perception, proprioception, and touch. The aim of the present study was to explore the functional connectivity of networks involved in visuospatial and somatosensory processing in AN.

Perinatal complications in unaffected sisters of anorexia nervosa patients: testing a covariation model between genetic and environmental factors.

Although perinatal complications are hypothesized to be risk factors for the development of anorexia nervosa (AN), no study to date explored this issue using a discordant sibling design. This type of design allows to explore whether the risk for obstetric complications is itself a consequence of the genetic vulnerability for AN (covariation model) or whether obstetric complications increase the risk of AN independently of (additive model), or in interaction with (interaction model), the disorder's genetic liability. The presence of perinatal complications was assessed through review of the obstetric records of 60 AN subjects, 60 unaffected sisters, and 70 healthy subjects.

[Tattoos and piercings in adolescents: family conflicts and temperament].

Introduction: The phenomenon of body art, such as tattoos and piercings, has ancient roots, rediscovered in Western society during the '70s. The aim of this research is to investigate the prevalence and the characteristics of tattoos and piercings among Italian adolescents of high school in Padua, with particular attention to family context and temperament.

Methods: Some questionnaires about the presence or the wish of tattoos/piercings, smoke and alcohol use, familiar conflicts, and some temperamental features, such as novelty seeking, harm avoidance and reward dependence, have been administered to a sample of 829 students.

Set-shifting abilities, central coherence, and handedness in anorexia nervosa patients, their unaffected siblings and healthy controls: exploring putative endophenotypes.

Objective: There is consistent evidence that anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with an impairment of set-shifting abilities and central coherence. No study to date investigated handedness in AN. Our aim was to study set-shifting abilities, central coherence, and handedness in subjects with lifetime AN, in a sample of unaffected sisters and in healthy controls, in order to explore their suitability as endophenotypes of AN.

Time trends in age at onset of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Objective: This study aims to explore the time trends in age at onset of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Method: The sample was composed of 1,666 anorexia nervosa subjects and 793 bulimia nervosa subjects (according to DSM-IV criteria) without previous anorexia nervosa consecutively referred to our outpatient unit in the period between 1985 and 2008. Time trends in illness onset were analyzed according to the year of birth of subjects.

Typical and atypical restrictive anorexia nervosa: weight history, body image, psychiatric symptoms, and response to outpatient treatment.

Objective: Few studies have examined the characteristics of atypical restrictive anorexia nervosa (AN) with a well-powered design. The study aims to explore this issue, with particular attention paid to psychopathology and response to outpatient treatment.

Method: The sample consists of 365 participants with restrictive AN and 204 with atypical AN.