ABSTRACT
It has been an unfortunate fact that eating disorders are all too often dismissed as trivial complaints of spoilt princesses who are merely being stubborn and willful. However, it will be difficult to continue to hold such a position in the face of the evidence that is coming from research into brain imaging. Pictures can be worth a thousand words, and the brain images, which show both structural and functional brain changes, cannot be easily dismissed. Food provokes a unique pattern of brain activation in people with eating disorders. Moreover, food-induced activation of the orbitofrontal cortex continues after recovery. Also structural abnormalities persist after recovery. Are these effects scars from the illness or markers of a neurodevelopmental diathesis? The answers may have implications for clinical evaluation, diagnostics, treatment, and outcome. We therefore argue that brain imaging is not just an interesting application of modern technology but an essential and exciting tool that can be used to clarify the confusing tapestry of eating disorders.
