Attention, executive functions, and mentalizing in anorexia nervosa eighteen years after onset of eating disorder

Abstract

Objective: Prospective study of attention, executive functions, and mentalizing abilities in a representative sample of teenage-onset anorexia nervosa (AN). Method: A total of 51 AN cases recruited after community screening were contrasted with 51 matched comparison cases 18 years after AN onset. Neuropsychological tests had been done at 21, 24, and 32 years (18 years after AN onset). Results: The AN-group had more attention, executive function, and mentalizing problems. Some of these problems had been present at all three follow-up occasions. Conclusions: AN is associated with a range of neuropsychological problems that are present long after the eating disorder per se is no longer an important feature.

Keywords:

• Anorexia nervosa
• Long-term outcome
• Population-based
• Neuropsychology
• Attention
• Executive function

We are grateful to the young adults who participated in the original and the follow-up studies. We would like to thank Birgitta Melander for being instrumental in assuring complete coverage of the original cohort of probands and controls. This work was supported by the Swedish Research Council (K2006–21X–20048–01–2), grants from the state under the Avtal om Läkarutbildning för Forskning (ALF) agreement, the Wilhelm and Martina Lundgren Foundation, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the Söderström Königska Nursing Home Foundation, the Swedish Medical Society, and the Göteborg Freemasons.