Imaging the mind’s image of the
body
Researchers seek new ways to ID body
dysmorphic disorder
By Amanda
Kalaydjian
Psychologists hope imaging will someday identify the areas of the brain
involved in body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a relatively unknown condition
characterized by a preoccupation with a slight or even imagined physical
flaw.
“We know nothing about the causes,” said Andrea Allen, Ph.D., an
assistant professor of psychology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
One theory holds that the same areas involved in obsessive-compulsive
disorder, such as the orbital frontal and cingulate cortex, are also affected in
BDD. Preliminary MRI scans suggest this may be true, but the research has just
begun. [Fig. 1]
Although both fMRI and PET are used to explore the neural manifestations of
BDD, the modalities have practical drawbacks. Imaging patients when they’re
actually experiencing BDD-related stress, as well as the cumbersome setup, make
the examination difficult. Psychologists hope that faster, easier brain imaging
techniques will be developed.
“We will absolutely use imaging more in the future for BDD research. It
is a very exciting way to understand how the brain works and what is wrong with
brain function in BDD patients,” Allen said.
