Cognitive Processes Study in Obese Women With and Without Eating Disorders

Cognitive Processes Study in Obese Women With and Without Eating Disorders : Research of Electro-physiological Similarity With Addiction

The P300 is one of the cognitive wave of the Event-Related Potential (ERP) that is used to investigate the cognitive process. The P300 component are accepted as electro-physiological markers of neuropsychiatric disorders like alcoholism or drug addiction.

Recent scientific data suggest that eating disorders, leading to weight gain and obesity, will be similar of those of drug addiction: it is the incentive sensitization theory that implicates the dopaminergic reward system.

The aim of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the alteration of P300 auditory ERP in obese women with eating disorders in comparison with obese and lean women without eating disorders.

Inclusion Criteria:

• women
• Aged from 20 to 55 years
• Fasting glycemia under 7mmol/L
• Lean women : women with BMI from 18.5 to 24.5 and disinhibition score to Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ)lower or equal to 8
• Obese women without eating disorders : women with BMI higher or equal to 35 and disinhibition score to TFEQ lower or equal to 8
• Obese women with eating disorders : women with BMI higher or equal 35 and disinhibition score to TFEQ strictly higher to 8

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subject not in compliance with the recommendations of French National Law in force
• Medical history of diabetes and surgery history of obesity
• Drug use that could affect the ERP recording
• Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale : evaluation subscale (anxiety and/or depression) strictly higher to 11