A multicenter cross-sectional study to elucidate altered resting-state functional connectivity of the insular cortex in anorexia nervosa, segmented by functional localization

Summary

The research team led by Assistant Professor Yusuke Sudo and Professor Yoshiyuki Hirano of Chiba University, and Dr. Atsushi Sekiguchi of the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, in collaboration with Tohoku University, Kyoto University, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, and Kyushu University, identified abnormalities in brain connectivity in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), focusing on the insular cortex. They found altered connections between the insula and other brain regions including reduced activity in the primary gustatory cortex, and increased aversive responses to taste. These changes may contribute to key symptoms of AN, such as hypersensitivity to negative stimuli, taste disorders, and enhanced taste aversion learning, and persistent food avoidance, which help continuing to restrict food intake despite being underweight.

【Information on the outcome】

https://www.chiba-u.ac.jp/news/research-collab/post_551.html    (千葉大学）
https://www.amed.go.jp/news/seika/2025_seika_index.html　(AMED）

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