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Eye blink and reward prediction error response in anorexia nervosa
Author(s) -
Frank Guido K. W.,
Kalina Claire,
DeGuzman Marisa C.,
Shott Megan E.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.23332
Subject(s) - psychology , harm avoidance , audiology , functional magnetic resonance imaging , stimulus (psychology) , startle response , developmental psychology , neuroscience , cognitive psychology , medicine , personality , social psychology , big five personality traits
Background Functional brain imaging has been used to study brain reward function and behavioral traits in anorexia nervosa (AN). Here we tested whether eye blink relates to behavior and brain imaging response as a method that is less costly and more accessible. Method We recruited 26 women with AN and 50 healthy matched controls. All underwent a reward‐learning prediction error task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. In addition, eye blink was measured for spontaneous blink rate, baseline blink amplitude, and startle response to an auditory stimulus. Results Baseline blink rate, amplitude and startle response were similar between groups. In AN, there were significant positive correlations between spontaneous blink rate and bulimia symptoms, and baseline blink amplitude and prediction error response in right‐sided caudate, insula, and nucleus accumbens. Correlations between eye blink measures and body dissatisfaction or harm avoidance were no longer significant after multiple comparison adjustments. Discussion This study provides evidence that measures of eye blink response can be related to brain prediction error response and eating disorder behavior in AN. The catecholamine dopamine contributes to both eye blink and prediction error response providing indirect evidence that it could be a neurobiological correlate that contributes to behaviors relevant to AN.